Harford County Executive David Craig wants a state work group discussing the expansion of gambling in Maryland to study Harford County as a potential casino site.
In a letter to commission Chairman John Morton III, Craig wrote that a Harford casino would generate tens of millions of dollars in new state revenues, and would help county officials pay for new spending obligations — including the shift of teacher pension costs from the state to the counties, a move that will cost Harford more than $10 million annually once the shift is complete in four years.
The gambling work group held its first meeting on Friday to begin studying legislation that could authorize table games such as blackjack and roulette at all state casinos. The group is also tasked with making a recommendation on the more contentious issue of allowing a sixth state casino site at National Harbor in Prince George’s County.
Craig requested that PricewaterhouseCoopers, the firm studying the effects of a Prince George’s casino for the work group, also begin studying the potential casino in Harford.
Harford becomes the third county in Maryland to request a casino this year. In addition to the strong push for a National Harbor casino by Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, lawmakers in Charles County proposed legislation to authorize a casino on the Riverboat, a restaurant on the Potomac River in Colonial Beach, Va.
Maryland jurisdictions have control over property on the Potomac River up to the Virginia shoreline, giving Charles County officials the jurisdiction for slots on the river.
The debate over the Prince George’s gambling site has cast a shadow over the opening of state’s third casino, Maryland Live at Arundel Mills mall, which is scheduled to open Wednesday night.
The Cordish Cos., developer of the Anne Arundel County casino, have argued a casino to its south in Prince George’s would significantly cut into its share of the Maryland, Virginia and D.C. gambling market.
Maryland casinos brought in more than $14.5 million in gambling revenue in May, State Lottery officials announced Tuesday.
