The prospect of casino gambling in New York is much discussed these days, including in the State of the State speech by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. I should like to contribute a personal experience to that discussion.
Eighteen months ago, my son and I visited Greenville, Miss. Our family had lived near there from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. At that time, Greenville, population 50,000, was an economically viable city.
Fast forward to 2011. My son and I stayed in a motel in the once-thriving downtown. Nearly all the businesses are shuttered. Downtown was almost void of humanity.
What caused the dramatic decline in Greenville? Two casinos came to town.
City fathers and the gambling industry offered assurances the casinos would attract tourists who would spend money in the city and surrounding area. What really happened was that the poor saw the casinos as an opportunity to improve their economic plight. Instead, they were victimized by the gaming industry and lost the little money they had. Poverty intensified.
The casinos are still there, continuing to drain what little economic life is left in Greenville and the surrounding Mississippi Delta.
I suggest those who favor gaming as an engine for economic development, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, visit Greenville. Such a visit could be very educational.
Bob Blackmon
Troy
