SENATOR GABBARD RELEASES STATEMENT OPPOSING DHHL’S PROPOSAL TO BUILD A CASINO IN KAPOLEI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2020
Senate Communications: Jacob Aki 808-586-6291
SENATOR GABBARD RELEASES STATEMENT OPPOSING DHHL’S PROPOSAL TO BUILD A CASINO IN KAPOLEI
(Honolulu, HI) – Senator Mike Gabbard (District 20 -- Kapolei, Makakilo, and portions of ‘Ewa, Kalaeloa, and Waipahu) released the following statement today opposing the Department of Hawaiian Homelands’ (DHHL) proposal to build a casino in Kapolei:
“While I can appreciate DHHL’s effort to identify revenue generating sources, I’m in strong opposition to their proposal to build a casino in Kapolei. I’d instead encourage DHHL to focus on those kinds of projects to raise revenue which are less controversial and have less of a social impact.
Gambling is a unique issue in our state for bringing together the right and left of the political spectrum in opposition. Many social ills are associated with gambling and it’s simply not a good fit for the growing city of Kapolei, or for that matter, anywhere else in Hawai’i nei. DHHL’s proposal brings up many legal questions at the state level and even the federal level, given the fact that Native Hawaiians have still not received federal recognition like Native Americans.
Community outreach is something that DHHL would need to do on a proposal like this and I haven’t seen any evidence yet that that’s happened. I’ve reached out to some DHHL beneficiaries in my community this morning. I’ve heard from some who are opposed and others who said that they want to get more input.
DHHL has a bill prepared for introduction next month, which they have shared with me, and if that bill gets introduced, we’ll be debating it during the 2021 session. I’ll be urging my colleagues at the Legislature to join me in opposing it.”
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