The push to transform Miami Beach's Fontainebleau into a casino hotspot is on the table as the Florida legislative session kicks off this week, with the hotel's billionaire owner, Jeffrey Soffer, funneling more than $300,000 into the campaigns of key state legislators. According to the report by Pechanga, the donations targeted multiple PACs supporting state legislators, including nine Republicans hailing from Miami-Dade County.
Entering the fray, new bills in both the Florida House and Senate seek to allow gaming permit holders to freely transfer their permits up to 30 miles, potentially bypassing existing local government restrictions on gambling. This legislative move could directly benefit Soffer's own ambitions for the Fontainebleau, which currently houses a greyhound dog racing permit and authorization for casino activities at Soffer's Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach. Soffer's steep donations include $15,000 to the PAC chaired by House bill sponsor Rep. Alex Rizo (R-Hialeah), named Principled Moral Conservatism, which detailed the financial disclosures by Pechanga.
Locals and officials have put up a fight against the proposed gambling expansion, noting the community's longstanding opposition. "Miami Beach is among the most anti-casino jurisdictions anywhere in Florida because they’ve so often been the target for a casino,” John Sowinski, president of Orlando-based anti-gambling group No Casinos, told the press. Even amid the legislative push and substantial political contributions, the effort faces significant resistance from a community historically resistant to the glitz and socio-economic changes a casino is likely to bring.
Former Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, a staunch opponent of gambling, described the pending legislation as an "existential threat" to the community. Gelber's sentiments were echoed on a broader stage, with concerned citizens and groups anxious about what quietly might be the ushering in of a new gambling era for Miami Beach. Despite resistance, Soffer's substantial political spending spree continues to ignite debate, also including considerable contributions to the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Senatorial Republican Campaign Committee, as outlined by the Miami Herald on X.
Fontainebleau owner pours money into PACs as bills could bring casino to Miami Beach https://t.co/ANS8mFM0Zp
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) January 13, 2024
