One of the most popular recent trends in economic revitalization is casino gambling. What began as a form of enterprise limited to the state of Nevada first established itself on the East Coast in the resort area of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and has now spread to small towns from Louisiana to South Dakota.
It is seen by local communities as an easy fix, creating tax revenues almost without expense. Although it brings great amounts of revenue into an area, its revenue to cost ratio is not always what it seems, and some communities have seen a down side to this economic bonanza.
One community that tried to convert the gains from gambling to use for historic preservation was Deadwood, South Dakota. The former gold-mining town has been designated a National Historic Landmark, and gambling was seen as a way to attract tourists to their historic sites while developing funds to cover the costs for accommodating them. As recounted by a reporter from Denver in a 1990 article in Historic Preservation News, things didn't go smoothly in the beginning.
Everyone I spoke to reiterated that Deadwood did not have an adequate police force to deal with the tidal wash of gambling patrons, adequate parking, adequate sewerage and water systems, nor housing for employees of the gambling establishements. Property values are souring as a second wave of investors gather in a feeding frenzy, and there are proposals for hotels and bigger motels to replace original buildings.
All said there hadn't been enough time, that Deadwood had not been able to plan ahead."We wish we were more prepared," Crosswait said. "We need zoning for nongaming and gaming areas. Parents are really concerned because gaming is so close to schools and churches and homes, but we didn't think about that.
"I'd tell Colorado, 'Be prepared. Get a plan for the community in place first before letting gaming in... because outsiders are operating for money, only money. They'll take as much as they can get.... The community doesn't matter.'
"...Any community that's getting into gaming has to carefully and thoroughly look into the remifications of gaming, the potential of gaming, and the regulation of gaming. You have to have a very good control system.
"This is the only business where cash is the commodity." 1
1 Joanne Ditmer. 1990. "Gambling: A Tiger By the Tail." Historic Preservation News (August).
| Revitalization Strategies | Functional Strategies |
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| Special Strategies | Physical Improvement Strategies |
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| Casinos | Case Study Cities |
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