5 months ago
BERLIN Md. (WUSA/AP) -- After years of struggles to legalize slot machines in Maryland, a state commission unanimously approved the state's first slots parlor license Wednesday at an Eastern Shore track near Ocean City.
Reactions from gamblers at the Ocean Downs harness track were subdued in the wake of the news.
"Better late than never," quipped Ron Graybill.
The 800 machines approved for the track are expected to generate 400 jobs and $65 million in tax revenue.
Even so, that's a far cry from the 15,000 machines and $600 million in income envisioned by slots supporters before the November 2008 referendum on slots.
Since then, license applications for slots parlors at Rocky Gap and Laurel have been rejected when the owners could not pay licensing fees in time. At least two other slots locations near Baltimore and Washington are delayed by technicalities.
Ocean Down's owner William Rickman also could expand the number of machines there, because a constitutional amendment approved by voters last year would allow up to 2,500 machines at the track. He said he'll have to see how business goes before moving forward with more machines.
"This is a very slow process," Rickman said. "This is a very tough economic time, so you basically have to see how you do."
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