FAST FACTS

Vote FOR Question A if you are...

• FOR immediate creation of 4,000 good-paying, new jobs with hiring priority given to Anne Arundel County residents and veterans.
• FOR over $400 million in tax revenue per year to support our local schools, making it the single largest annual and ongoing source of revenue for Maryland’s children.
• FOR at least $30 million in County revenue for safer streets, improved roads, senior services and local tax relief.
• FOR $300 million in construction spending, creating local jobs and $60 million in annual spending on goods and services using local businesses, all benefiting our local economy.
• FOR upgrading already existing infrastructure, parking and highway access, creating an improved traffic pattern for the entire Arundel Mills Commercial District.
• FOR a location in a free-standing structure completely separate from Arundel Mills Mall.
• FOR a world-class gaming and entertainment facility featuring live entertainment, nationally acclaimed restaurants and exciting gaming, all complementing the existing retail, dining, entertainment, and hotel options in the area.
• FOR ownership and operation by a 100-year old Maryland company with a real track record developing similar projects with proven development and traffic mitigation strategies.
• FOR more needed revenue for Maryland’s endangered horse racing industry than any other slots facility in the state.

Myth vs. Fact

MYTH: Slots will be located inside the mall next to kids.
REALITY: FALSE! The proposed gaming and entertainment facility in the Arundel Mills Commercial District will be located in a free-standing building completely separate from Arundel Mills Mall and will feature live entertainment, nationally acclaimed restaurants and exciting gaming, all complementing the existing retail, dining, entertainment, and hotel options in the area. By law, no person under 21 years old will be allowed in the facility.

MYTH: A slots facility will cause an increase in crime in nearby locations or neighborhoods.
REALITY: The Anne Arundel County Fraternal Order of Police and the Anne Arundel County Professional Firefighters support a vote FOR Question A. Revenue from the gaming and entertainment complex will provide money for needed fire and police services as opposed to cuts in public safety services that have already occurred without this substantial new source of revenue. In addition, in the words of the FOP, “Our streets are safer when people are employed. Adding 4,000 good paying jobs makes this facility one of the single biggest one-time job creators in decades for Anne Arundel County."

MYTH: A slots facility will lead to further traffic jams in the area.
REALITY: The Arundel Mills Commercial District was developed with anticipation of additional growth of this type. It is not a residential area such as Laurel. Because it is designated both a regional commercial complex and industrial zone it has the necessary existing highway access and infrastructure. In fact, all of the intersections around the mall are rated at the highest levels of service. This situation will be additionally upgraded as a result of the project, including a multi-million dollar traffic and parking mitigation plan to upgrade intersections, “ring” roads, and provide additional parking with illuminated, real time “spaces available” signs.

MYTH: A slots facility is better suited to be located at Laurel Racetrack.
REALITY: Before consideration of the enormous traffic problems on Route 198 around Laurel and the fact that Laurel IS a large residential community, unlike the Arundel Mills Commercial District, the fact remains that Laurel’s owners failed to participate in the bidding process for slots in Anne Arundel County and Laurel is not in consideration now or ever for slots. The Arundel Mills Commercial District has the needed existing access and infrastructure that Laurel lacks. In addition, the Arundel Mills Commercial District is the Number 1 Tourism Destination in Maryland.

MYTH: If Question A is defeated, the County will be able to quickly shift the state gaming license to another location in Anne Arundel County.
REALITY: The vote on November 2 is not over where to have slots in the Anne Arundel County. Ballot Question A in November is solely to determine IF slots will be allowed in Anne Arundel County.

If Question A fails, slots will not be allowed ANYWHERE in Anne Arundel County, costing thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, hurting our schools and severely limiting County services.

Specifically, Anne Arundel County will lose up to $30 million every year in County revenue for police, fire, senior and other critical services. In addition, while Laurel is not under consideration as a slots site, revenue from any slots facility in Laurel would have had to be split between Howard, Prince George’s and Anne Arundel County, substantially reducing the economic benefits to Anne Arundel County.