Daniel Leaderman/The Gazette Opponents of a proposed ban on slots arrive Tuesday in Upper Marlboro before the County Council voted to delay its decision on a bill that would ban slots in the county.

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Daniel Leaderman/The Gazette Opponents of a proposed ban on slots gather Tuesday outside the hearing room of the Prince George's County Council in Upper Marlboro before the council voted to delay its decision on a bill that would ban slots in the county.
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Daniel Leaderman/The Gazette Opponents of a proposed ban on slots gather Tuesday outside the hearing room of the Prince George's County Council in Upper Marlboro before the council voted to delay its decision on a bill that would ban slots in the county.
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Daniel Leaderman/The Gazette Opponents of a proposed ban on slots arrive Tuesday in Upper Marlboro before the County Council voted to delay its decision on a bill that would ban slots in the county.

Daniel Leaderman/The Gazette Opponents of a proposed ban on slots arrive Tuesday in Upper Marlboro before the County Council voted to delay its decision on a bill that would ban slots in the county.

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This story was updated at 4:11 p.m., Nov. 15, 2011.

Prince George’s County Council opted to fold, rather than decide on a controversial bill banning slot machines on Tuesday, the final day of the council’s legislative year.

The zoning bill, introduced in September, would have acted as a form of insurance against slots, which are not currently legal in the county, said Councilman Eric Olson (D-Dist. 3) of College Park, who introduced the bill along with council members Mary Lehman (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, Will Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville and Andrea Harrison (D-Dist. 5) of Springdale.

After listening to hours of public comment, Councilman Obie Patterson (D-Dist. 8) of Fort Washington, moved to table the bill until the following year, which he said would give residents more time to make their voices heard. Eighty-one people signed up to give testimony, but many left before their turn came as testimony dragged into the afternoon.

The motion to hold, or table the bill, passed 5-4, with Olson, Campos, Harrison and Lehman voting against.

As an alternative to the ban, Council Chairwoman Ingrid Turner—who has argued that Prince George’s residents should be allowed to vote on whether slots should be allowed—introduced a resolution Tuesday calling for the General Assembly to require a majority of county voters to approve bringing slots to the county. There are about 518,000 registered voters in the county.

Prince George’s residents would have to cast their votes as part of the statewide referendum that would be needed if slots were ever to be approved for the county, according to the resolution.

The resolution, which was voted on before the slots-ban bill, passed 5-4. Olson, Lehman, Campos and Harrison voted against it.

County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) opposed the bill, arguing that it would eliminate a potential revenue source before specific proposals to bring slots in the county had been considered.

Funding still needs to be established for a proposed new regional medical center in the county, expected to cost about $600 million, Baker told the Gazette last month.

A 2008 statewide referendum allowed slot machines at five locations in the state — none in Prince George’s County — with some of the revenue going to local governments in those areas.

But Penn National Gaming of Wyomissing, Pa., which acquired Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington in a bankruptcy auction in February, wants to bring slots to the raceway.

Penn National officials have said the revenue brought by slots is important to the long-term viability of Rosecroft.

Eric Schippers, senior vice president for public affairs for the company, told the council during a public hearing on the bill that allowing slots at Rosecroft could bring as much as $40 million in annual revenue for the county and create as many as 3,000 permanent jobs.

Schippers also suggested that a lot of the opposition to slots had been manufactured by interests outside of the county, such as the owners of slots facilities in other counties, an accusation that provoked Olson.

“The people here who are opposed to slots are not manufactured. Those people live in Prince George’s County, those people work in Prince George’s County, those people love Prince George’s County,” Olson fired back. “I find that offensive, what you said.”

Opponents and supporters of the ban, known as CB 49, flooded the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro Tuesday morning, leaving only standing room in the council hearing room. Many supporters of the bill wore red “No Slots” stickers, while opponents—a number of whom arrived on a bus organized by Rosecroft—wore yellow “No on CB 49” stickers and T-shirts.

One supporter of the bill quoted a Bible passage on the evils of gambling. Another testified that voting down the ban would support the equine industry in the county by protecting racing at Rosecroft.

Peggy Yeates of Oxon Hill, told The Gazette she supported bringing slots to Prince George’s because it would “enhance income” for the county and the state, and could help fund the new hospital.

Arthur Turner, a former candidate for the District 6 County Council seat and president of the Coalition of Central Prince George’s County Community Organizations, spoke in favor of the ban.

“Slots [are] like crack,” Turner told the council. “People get addicted.”

Other opponents present included former state Del. Gerron Levi (D-Dist. 23A) of Mitchellville, who told The Gazette it was “unconscionable” to consider bringing casinos and gambling to the county. Gambling would likely place more households at financial risk, especially during a severe foreclosure crisis, she said.

dleaderman@gazette.net