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Local
Arguments In Gambling Dispute
Meetings
Middleton High Class Of 1961
The Middleton High School Class of 1961 will hold its regularly scheduled monthly class meeting on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at the Police-Substation, lo- cated at 3808 N. 22nd Street at 4 p. m.
Final preparations for the July class reunion will be discussed. Everyone is needed.
For information call 813-466-5244. Ralph Rance is the General Chairperson.
State, Seminoles Press
Accusing the state of essen- tially reneging on a 2010 deal, the Seminole Tribe of Florida is asking a federal judge to de- clare that tribal casinos have permission to keep operating banked card games including blackjack, for 15 more years.
In a motion for summary judgment filed June 3rd the Seminoles also asked U. S. District Judge Robert Hinkle to order the state back to the negotiating table in a last-ditch effort to try to resolve differences over the games.
Governor Rick Scott
and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, meanwhile, filed motion asking Judge Hin- kle to rule against the tribe on an allegation that the state failed to negotiate in good faith.
The dueling motions for summary judgment come in a dispute over the Seminoles’ “exclusive” right to operate banked card games, including blackjack, at five of the tribe’s seven casinos. That exclu- sively was part of a broader 20-year deal, called a “com- pact,” signed in 2010.
In exchange for the banked
card games, the tribe prom- ised to pay the state a mini- mum of $1 billion over five years, an amount which it has exceeded. But the five-year agreement regarding the cards expired July 31st, 2015.
The terms of the compact gave the Seminoles a 90-day “grace period” after the agree- ment expired to continue op- erating the banked card games.
After mediation failed, the tribe filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that Florida officials had failed to negoti- ate in “good faith” on a new deal.
The Seminoles’ lawsuit is centered on two types of games – controversial “desig- nated player” card games and blackjack played with elec- tronic cards – authorized by state gambling regulators at pari-mutuel facilities. The tribe contends those games violate the exclusivity provi- sion of the compact regarding banked card games.
In a 31-page motion, tribe attorneys, Barry Richard and Joseph Webster, said despite the promises it made in the compact, within a year of its approval, the state began
permitting others to conduct various types of banked card games without explanation or justification.
Under Florida law a “bank- ing game” is defined as one “in which the house is a par- ticipant in the game, taking on players paying winners, and collecting from losers or in which the card room estab- lishes a bank against which participants play.”
Pari-mutuel card rooms are allowed to conduct games in which players compete only against each other.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa employs 3,500 people.
Middleton High Class Of 1967
The Middleton Class of 1967 will be having their class meeting on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 12 noon.
Plans are being made for the 50th Reunion and please be on time.
The meeting will be held at the C. Blythe Andrews,
Jr. Public Library, 2607 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,
Tampa, 33610, (813) 273-3652.
Linda L. Williams, Class President. For more information, call (813) 514- 7357.
Correction
General Baptist State Convention Gospel Concert
Dr. Delores Cain will not be a soloist on the Gospel Con- cert planned for Sunday, June 12th at New Salem M. B. Church. The Gospel Legends will be the guests for Monday, June 13th.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 11-A