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The tribe's plan comes a day after Broward County voters approved a referendum that would allow slot machines to be installed at horse tracks, dog tracks and jialai gaming facilities. The referendum was voted down in Miami-Dade County.
The Seminoles already have bingo-style slot machines at casinos, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa. However, with voter approval in Broward, the Seminoles want to apply a me-too approach to get more advanced machines. Federal law allows American Indians to negotiate with state officials to be offered the same type of game in different parts of the state.
"At least Tuesday's referendum result will allow us to offer a Las Vegas-style game console," said Jim Shore, a legal adviser to the Seminole Tribe. "But the broad view of federal law is"
It can also offer blackjacks, roulette, and other table games."
Paul Sego, executive director of No Casino, an organization that seeks to block the passage of a referendum at polling stations, said allowing a casino in Tampa altogether could fail other non-casino entertainment businesses.
"Spending a dollar at a local casino means less money spent by local companies," he said. "It will harm the entire Bay Area."
Shaure said tribal leaders plan to work with the state government is a broad interpretation of the tribe's law. They want to ask President Bush in the coming days to start negotiations for a formal agreement. Without an agreement, the tribe cannot provide expanded gambling.
Bush, who is campaigning against gambling and against the South Florida referendum, said Tuesday he would not prevent implementing slot machines in Broward County. He said he would also negotiate in good faith with tribal leaders, including the Mykowski tribe, who operate gaming facilities in the Miami area.
"The Mykowski tribe asked us to start negotiations and we started negotiations in a very preliminary way," Bush said. "We will follow the law on that."
President Bush did not specify the types of games the state allows. At Seminole and Mikekowski casinos, they offer class II slot machines, which look like slot machines but are actually electronic bingo machines. They cannot drop coins and lack the bells and whistles of class III slot machines found in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Jersey. At Seminole and Mikekowski casinos, they also offer low-stakes poker.
The Seminoles attempted to negotiate a contract with the state in the early 1990s, proposing revenue cuts to the state in exchange for expanding gambling. Then-Gov. Rotten Childs refused, and Bush's opposition to the game has so far blocked negotiations.
States like Connecticut and California receive up to 25% of India's gaming revenue in exchange for allowing full-style casino games.
Tuesday's referendum means negotiations with the Seminoles are likely to go ahead.
"The referendum strengthens the tribes' position that the state needs to negotiate an agreement," said Shawn Pensono, a spokesman for the National Indian Games Committee. However, Pensono said that does not mean that the Seminole tribe has a comprehensive qualification. 슬롯사이트
Shore, of the Seminole tribe, said some courts in the western United States had ruled that allowing enhanced slot machines paves the way for other casino games. But he acknowledged there were also legal opinions that went the other way.