A drive to allow eight new privately owned casinos in Michigan says it’s gathered more than enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.Michigan already has two dozen tribal casinos and three privately owned casinos in Detroit.
Emily Gerkin Palsrok with Citizens for Michigan Jobs says there’s room for more casinos, which would bring more jobs and tax revenue.
"Our signature collection has gone very well," says Palsrok. "We've had a very positive response. We're going to have well more than the 322,000, which was the minimum requirement that we need, and we're going to be wrapping up our process in the next couple of weeks."
The amendment is opposed by the existing casino operators. A spokesman for the “vote no” campaign says people should not be allowed to buy a business opportunity by amending the state constitution.
So far, campaigns to reverse Michigan’s emergency manager law and to preempt a right-to-work law are the only ones to file petitions to qualify for the ballot.