Three Anson residents outlined their beliefs for why they believe that a casino in Anson County would be detrimental.
WADESBORO — In late March, a report commissioned by Greater Carolina included Anson County as the potential future site for a casino, along with Nash and Rockingham counties.
At the Anson Board of Commissioners meeting on June 6, a few Anson County residents came to speak out against the floated prospect casino, explaining their dissatisfaction with the idea of a casino.
As of Wednesday, June 7, 2023, NC lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have approved a sports and horse-racing gambling bill that will be sent to Gov. Roy Cooper. The bill has received bipartisan support, and Cooper has also expressed support for legalized sports gambling. According to CBS 17, some NC Republicans have discussed the idea of additional casinos in the state in an as-of-now undrafted bill.
“We just really do not need this in our beautiful county,” said Pastor Rocky Carpenter of Harmony Community Church in Peachland at the commissioners meeting. “They’re telling us things like ‘Your property value are going to triple. Lie.”
He explained that, according to realtor Summer Davis Inman, properties around casinos drop in value from two to ten percent. In the same study, casinos were referred to as “attractive nuisances” and found that property values drop when said property is around attractive nuisances.
“Did another study in Las Vegas,” Pastor Carpenter continued. “The average annual pay for casino, now this is Las Vegas where, you know, they build the big casinos, because everybody loses but the big casino, and so the average wage there is $28,000 a year.”
28K a year shakes out to around $13 an hour, although ZipRecruiter found that the national average is around $38,000 a year, which averages out to $18 an hour.
He added that the number of DUIs will double, using the Sands Casino in Pennsylvania as an example, where from 2008 to 2012, the number DUIs raised from 274 to 488.
“I don’t know about you, but I am tired of burying young men before their time. I want our kids to live, I want them to have a good life here,” Carpenter said.
This point was backed by Bobbie Johnson, who explained the effect that drunk drivers had in his life.
“I hope you will listen to what [Pastor Carpenter] said and take it to heart,” Mr. Johnson began. “This casino is a family killer, a family destroyer. I had a 21 year old brother killed by a drunk driver. I have no tolerance for drinking and driving and this casino will cause a major problem with that.”
“The liquor is already here,” a Mr. Helms said following Mr. Johnson’s public address. “We don’t need the casino. No casino.”
The final point that Pastor Carpenter brought up was who the casino would be targeting. An article on The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission explained that in gambling, there are no true winners. Most jackpot winners will file for bankruptcy, and the losers will continue to spend their money because they believe that jackpot will help them. Their study also found that most lottery tickets are purchased in low income neighborhoods, where households are way more likely to gamble.
“And why do we think the poor are going to gamble more than others?” Pastor Carpenter asked. “Because the households have almost 100% higher rate of gambling than the general population.”
The study from ERLC also explained that people in a higher socio-economic don’t gamble as much, as they don’t see the jackpot as the way to get themselves into a higher bracket, a “better” way of life. For the state, it means more money spent by those desperate to better their lives and continue spending tickets in hopes that lady luck throws them a bone.
“They’re trying to get out of the hole,” Pastor Carpenter stated. “That is why they are coming to a tier one county.”
Commissioner Jamie Caudle and Chairman J.D. Bricken both explained that the state is still deciding on the gambling extension and where the casinos would be, pending the outcome of future legislation.. Not only that, but they believe Anson County would get to decide whether or not a casino is built in the county, with commissioners doing research on the topic of casinos and private business.
“We as commissioners do our best to our research on it,” Caudle explained. “There are some positives, but there are some negatives as well, and it’s up to the commissioners to research it, the same with any private business.”