游说者一直在试图说服佐治亚的立法者相信：博彩业扩张对州和解决州预算会有很大好处的，却一直没有取得成功，现在这个雄心勃勃的计划得到了佐治亚州一位体育巨星的祝福。
Hershel Walker已经与一家新博彩娱乐场所的投资方Dan O’ Leary签订了体育酒吧餐馆代言的协议，这是一家在佐治亚州诺克罗斯投资十亿美元包括餐馆、酒吧、购物和娱乐的博彩娱乐场所，这个计划曾被立法者所嘲讽，但是大众不这样认为。
“现在是时间在博彩方面追赶其他州了”一家商店的店员Blaine Grant说，“这对我们不公平，其他州都允许博彩赌博，而我们不得不去其他州赌博，我赞成这个计划，或许这个计划真的给佐治亚带来新赌场”
O’Leary在他的博彩建议中向立法者着重阐述了就业和税收两个方面的益处，O’Leary称如果新博彩项目建成能够带来数千的就业机会，并且能够每年给州财政增加亿万美元的收入。
O’Leary的建议将给佐治亚带来7500个视频彩票终端，这个计划不需要立法者同意，因为核准是由佐治亚彩票委员会负责的，格威纳特县委员会也只能同意。
Walker通过代言这个项目获得了在其中建设一个体育酒吧餐馆的机会，这位佐治亚大学的前球星是第一个承诺参与建设该项目的，根据O’Leary 和Walker的协议，酒吧餐馆将使用Walker在校期间和职业赛期间的纪念品作为装饰。
去年，亚特兰大有一项筹建大型赌场的建议没有得到足够的立法票数，自那以后，其他的提议相继浮出水面，包括O’Leary的诺克罗斯博彩娱乐中心。
Georgia Gambling Plan Receives Commitment From Hershel Walker
Lobbyists have been trying to convince Georgia lawmakers that gambling expansion would be highly beneficial to the state and its budget. The lobbyists have been unsuccessful to this point, but one of the most ambitious plans has now received the blessing of one of Georgia’s biggest sports stars.
Hershel Walker has signed on to develop a sports bar restaurant in the new entertainment facility being touted by developer Dan O’ Leary. The $1 billion gaming complex would include restaurants, bars, shopping, and entertainment outlets in Norcross, Georgia. The plan has been met with cynicism from lawmakers, but not by members of the community.
”It’s time we caught up with the rest of the country when it comes to casino gambling,” said Blaine Grant, a store clerk in Georgia. “It’s not right to all of us that all these other states allow their residents to gamble, but we have to travel to find a casino. I like this plan, or really, any plan that would bring new casinos to Georgia.”
O’Leary is pushing the two issues most important to lawmakers in his gaming proposal, jobs and tax revenue. O’Leary asserts that thousands of employees would be hired if the new facility is built, and hundreds of millions of dollars would come to the state budget annually from gaming tax revenue.
The proposal from O’Leary would bring 7,500 video lottery terminals to the Norcross location. The plan would not have to get legislative approval, because the facility would be approved by the Georgia Lottery Board. The Gwinnett County Commission would also have to sign off on the entertainment center.
Walker took a chance by endorsing the project and offering to build a sports bar and restaurant at the facility. The former University of Georgia football star is the first to commit to building as part of the project. The restaurant, according to O’Leary and Walker, would have memorabilia from Walker’s playing career, both professional and at Georgia, as part of decor.
Last year, a push was made to build a massive casino complex in Atlanta. The proposal fell short of gaining the necessary votes to pass the Legislature. Since that plan, several others have come to the forefront, including O’Leary’s Norcross gaming and entertainment center.