Envisioning a Future Atlanta Casino

The residents of the City in a Forest have never had a lack of things to do, as Atlanta, GA is known as one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Indeed, Atlanta has a gross domestic product equal to the entire country of Finland; all of which comes from the incredibly diverse suite of offerings it has for tourists and residents. MGM Resorts International is seeking to make a huge contribution to this already lofty number, with their proposal to build a billion-dollar brick-and-mortar casino in Atlanta’s famous and lively downtown district. First reported by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, MGM is currently entangled within the Georgia State Legislature in regards to the actual construction of the complex. As for their chances of success, it’s worth noting that they’ve already got a casino in the works in nearby Springfield. Past failures in getting the vote they need has caused MGM International to step up its efforts. To date, they’ve hired a handful of lobbyists to promote their interests and try to sway the vote in their favor. Recent analysis suggests that their chances are much more promising, and the downtown Atlanta casino proposal may show up on the ballot in November 2016. If MGM can get 66% of the legislature to say “yes”; then the bright lights of night-time ATL become even brighter. Residents and tourists alike can then expect new restaurants, hotels and more support services to spring up nearby.

What Will the Casino License Entail?

If it’s passed in November 2016, the casino bill would clear the way for six new casinos to be built throughout Georgia’s five state zones; with Atlanta hosting the billion-dollar MGM International contribution. The finances of the project would be overseen by the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and some of the funds would be used to fund scholarships for education – in particular, the HOPE Scholarship. Additionally, there are plans to build a luxury hotel to complement the new casino, as well as various entertainment outlets – separate from the ones that always spring up around a new casino; built by independent contractors looking to capitalize on the heavy traffic. If all of this comes to pass, Atlanta’s profile as a world city will become even more significant; the Springfield Casino is expected to finally go up in late 2018, because of delays in the building of a nearby interstate highway. The MGM casino project for downtown Atlanta doesn’t seem to have these issues, so it may very well be up-and-running even before Springfield’s.