If Hawaii is ever to legalize gambling, there has to be a reason and need for it. Our legislators will never just say, "This sounds like fun, let’s try it."
Gaming would only come if it does something: pays teachers, builds hospitals, cuts your taxes — something more than just making some people rich and some people presumably happy, but poorer.
Building and running a casino may not cure cancer, but the promoters need a big easy-to-understand, easy-to sell reason to make Hawaii the 49th entry in the "Yes, we are the state that gambles" column.
The latest casino expedition is conducted by the Waikiki Improvement Association, which is not for or against gambling — it just wants full, safe hotels packed with contented tourists. Tourists make Hawaii’s economy viable and the belly of the beast is Waikiki. So it makes sense for the WIA to look ahead.
The new WIA report surveyed 1,000 Hawaii residents. It was done by SMS Research & Marketing Services. The survey says if there was an entertainment center in Waikiki, more local folks would come to Waikiki and they would spend an extra $395 million in Waikiki.
Hawaii’s favorite destination is Las Vegas, and most local residents who go there gamble. So the survey shows that they would like to come to Waikiki to gamble.
"Fifty-eight percent of local residents agree with the proposition that legalizing gambling would have a positive effect on Hawaii’s economy," the report says.
At the same time, 54 percent says legalizing gambling would "have negative consequences." Another 42 percent disagree, saying there would not be a negative consequence to gambling.
The people who want a casino spend a lot of time fretting about Waikiki’s entertainment options. The survey showed that most of us are visiting Waikiki less. The fact that we are just not into Waikiki doesn’t bother us.
The survey says not going to Waikiki is not a big problem for Hawaii residents. In fact, we think Waikiki is just like Goldilocks’ chair: Not too big, not too small, but just right. A full 38 percent think "there is more than enough to do in Waikiki" and 32 percent say there is "just the right amount of things to do." Asked about nighttime doings, Hawaii residents are equally happy with the way things are now.
This must tell hotel owners that they are doing something right, because about 69 percent of us like things just fine.
If Occupy Waikiki shows up, it is not likely that they will be demanding more floor shows, nightclubs and hula competitions to fluff up their drab lives.
One of the reasons mainland states legalized lotteries and casinos is because the neighboring state has gambling and if they don’t act they will lose money that would go to them in the form of gambling taxes. The survey says that we would pick up money from local folks more likely to stay in Hawaii to gamble rather than go to Las Vegas. Gambling is a business proposition.
There are other economic consequences.
In a new radio commercial, Lynn Kinney, business manager and secretary-treasurer of Local 50, the painters union, says a union poll shows his members want a casino in Waikiki.
"A casino means more hotels, more construction, more jobs and more local people getting back to work," Kinney says.
More jobs is a good reason, more economic diversity is a good reason, more money to pay teachers or lower university tuition are other good reasons. "Let’s go have fun in Waikiki" is not.
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.
