NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Citing concerns over New Orleans' economy, Mayor Ray Nagin has proposed creating a downtown casino district.
Nagin emphasized the dire straits of the city's economy. He included his idea for expanding gambling in a letter send to Gov. Kathleen Blanco. He also asked for the authority to create a citywide charter public school district.
Nagin said ideas like this are needed to get the cash-strapped city back on its feet. The announcement comes just three days after he laid off 3,000 municipal employees. He acknowledged his idea would create controversy.
"I'd love to have another solution for our citizens," Nagin told a New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter. "I'm not a big gaming person. I'm not a big gambler."
Only hotels with at least 500 rooms would be eligible to offer gambling. The city and state would equally split all revenues. Mayor Nagin doesn't know how much revenue it will generate, but said Mississippi casinos were generating about $150 million before Hurricane Katrina.
