What’s the better comparison Rockaway Beach to Las Vegas or Branson to Laodicea?

Last week the Ole Seagull received a fax sent out by the Anti-Gambling Task Force through the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. As one would expect it contained the standard regurgitation of the “gloom and doom statistics,” allegedly from Las Vegas , Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey, in an attempt to show that it will be the end of “family friendly” Branson if a casino is built in Rockaway Beach.

Can any person honestly look an Ole Seagull, or for that matter, any one else, in the eye and say, with a straight face, that comparing ONE casino in Rockaway Beach, Missouri, with either the problems or successes of Las Vegas or Atlantic City is a valid comparison? To an Ole Seagull such comparisons make about as much sense as comparing the actions of a wild lion on Africa’s Serengeti to the actions of the typical pet house cat playing in the living room.

“Hold on Seagull, the governing word here is ‘one.’ The fax said, ‘To pass a law allowing riverboat gambling on Lake Taneycomo/White River in Rockaway Beach paves the way for ALL of Lake Taneycomo, including Branson, to become open to casino gambling’. Is that true?” “No.”

In the opinion of an Ole Seagull, there’s a greater chance of the Highroad “paving” the way to solving the non existent “economic emergency” used to justify its building than there is for Amendment 1 to be used to pave the way for casinos anywhere except in Rockaway Beach. Amendment 1’s language very specifically limits the location of the casino to “the White River in Rockaway Beach, Missouri.”

That fact was attested to by the very people who filed the recent lawsuit trying to deny the voters of Missouri an opportunity to vote on Amendment 1. One of their contentions was that if enough people voted “Yes” for Amendment 1 and it passed that it “necessarily prohibits all other cities … along the White River, from having the same opportunity under the law to choose gambling as a revenue source.” “Wow, isn’t that the exact opposite of what the fax that the Chamber sent out said?” “Of course it is but then that was a rhetorical question, right?”

Here’s another “chamber opposite” you can take to the bank. The Ole Seagull will bet that within a relatively short time after the August 3 vote on Amendment 1 that the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, the “Branafia,” and a lot of the others who are fighting Amendment 1 will try to get a one percent retail sales tax, that some call “The Chamber Tax,” imposed on all those who shop in Branson. What will be the justification for this tax? Branson needs more money for marketing to bring more people to the Branson area.

“Surely you jest Seagull. Are you saying that a lot of the same people who will be pushing, what some people call the Chamber Tax, are the same ones fighting Rockaway Beaches attempt to provide an “attraction” for the Branson area could attract up to three million people a year?” “That’s absolutely right.” “But how can ‘they’ turn their backs on an attraction that an estimated three million visitors a year to the Branson area would use while at the same time saying that they need to tax the public for additional marketing money to be used to bring more people to the “same” area?”

In an Ole Seagulls opinion, in the same arbitrary, hypocritical and arrogant manner that “they” use the mantle of morality, Christianity and family values to fight casino entertainment in Rockaway Beach. It is raised, on one hand, to fight casino entertainment as a tool for Rockaway Beach’s economic redevelopment and ignored, on the other hand, as to the expansion of the serving of alcohol into Branson’s traditionally alcohol free family friendly venues such as theatres and attractions.

Branson’s apparent hypocritical and, at best, “lukewarm” action in this regard reminds one of “the church in Laodicea.” Of what value is Branson’s vaunted environment of morality, Christianity, and family values, either to itself or in the furtherance of Gods Kingdom, if it is not morally deep enough to “absorb” one casino in a small place called Rockaway Beach, Missouri?

Gary Groman, a.k.a. “The Ole Seagull,” is an independent columnist and the editor of the Branson Courier. He may be reached by clicking here or by calling 417-339-4000.