Word: Roll the dice

Underground Atlanta executives announced last week that a gaming company has offered to spend $450 million to turn the downtown retail complex into a casino with video slot machines and a 29-story hotel.

“Casino gambling in neighboring states would take away from Georgia’s convention and tourism business. Let’s roll the dice. Georgia can’t afford not to.”

— Fulton Commissioner Robb Pitts, from a 1994 presentation titled “Gambling: On Georgia’s Mind”

“Statistics show that thousands of people from the Atlanta area travel weekly to venues that feature casinos and other games of chance.”

— Councilman Jim Maddox, from a 2003 resolution urging state lawmakers to allow gambling

“Let’s be courageous and allow the citizens of Georgia to vote the issue of legalizing casino gambling up or down!”

— Robb Pitts, from a Dec. 4 open letter to state lawmakers

__“There’s a general sense that we’ll see gaming within the city limits and I concur.”

— Mayor Shirley Franklin, speaking to state lawmakers in November__