Bolstering Bolivar Peninsula’s tax base with legalized gambling is on the mind of a county commissioner, who said the once-bustling beach destination is an ideal spot for the industry.
A bill calling for a constitutional amendment allowing casino gambling at horse and dog tracks and designated resort destinations is set for public hearing Wednesday in Austin.
The peninsula was Ike’s ground zero. At least 14 feet of storm surge swept 3,600 structures from the peninsula.
County Commissioner Patrick Doyle, who represents the peninsula, said the idea of helping rebuild the eroded tax base swept clean by Hurricane Ike could only happen if legislators and locals approved of one-armed bandits and roulette wheels.
“I think Bolivar would be a perfect fit for many reasons,” Doyle said. “There are big reasons why people don’t want it in their backyard, but Bolivar is a geographically confined area, and you’d have to take a 30-minute ferry ride to get there.”
Taxes generated from the trickle-down effect of the gambling industry could help the county rebuild its ailing infrastructure and could support 2,500 jobs, Doyle said.
“The slate is clean to do as they please,” Doyle said. “There are no constraints, because the whole peninsula north of (state) Highway 87 is completely clear and ready.”
Tragedy To Triumph
The peninsula has seen major achievements in infrastructure since the storm, County Judge Jim Yarbrough said.
Harrowing stories of survival came from stragglers trapped by the rising water a day before the storm’s Sept. 13 landfall. Some residents clung to anything that floated, including staircases torn from their toppled homes.
Those who dug out from the mud and muck have in less than six months after the storm had electricity and running water restored. They’ve seen highways cleared of feet of sand and debris.
“For months, it seemed like we didn’t do a thing,” Yarbrough said. “But the last couple of months, every time I’ve been over there, I’ve seen tremendous progress.”
County officials are working to have debris cleared from private property by the summer vacation season, Doyle said.
“No one wants to come visit when it’s full of trash,” Doyle said. “I’ve talked to our debris guys, and they feel confident that 90 percent of the debris removal should be finished by the end of the first quarter.”
John Ramsay, president and chief executive officer of CrowderGulf Disaster Recovery and Debris Management, is working with Garner Environmental to ensure debris and any hazardous material is removed well in advance of the summer season.
Simon Zirloft and other workers began in February snagging debris from canals on the peninsula’s bay side, so residents can have safe boating access to the many homes that survived the storm.
Best Of Both Worlds
Yarbrough said gambling on the peninsula could be the best of both worlds. He knows people don’t want the industry in their backyard.
“But we’ve got a lot of backyard here,” Yarbrough said. “And if we had that type of money, we certainly could help justify and help pay for an ‘Ike Dike’ or seawall to help reduce the risk of Ike-type events.”
The peninsula’s isolation could itself be an impediment to the gambling industry.
“With the ferry system, there’s not easy access for casual walkers into the casino,” Yarbrough said. “But it could be a destination spot. It’s in the realm of possibility, but it all starts at the legislative level.”
Doyle envisions a bridge connecting the peninsula to Galveston, a $300 million-plus venture, which he said could be fueled in part by taxes from development.
Even if gambling on the peninsula is a bust, the county still has long-term plans to help ensure roads are maintained, including rerouting state Highway 87 to the north, a move that would protect the only road access from eroding during future storms.
Another long-term plan includes offshore break waters, which could lessen the impact from the next storm, Doyle said.
