Summary
- Texas Sands PAC was created in January and already has spent over $500,000 in support
- Funds have gone to incumbents that support casino legislation
- The company pushed for gambling legislation last year that failed to move forward.
The Las Vegas Sands Corporation is not playing around when it comes to pushing for casinos in Texas. A legislative effort from 2021 failed to see casino gambling legalized in the state, so the operator is trying again this year. A new group was formed by the corporation, titled Texas Sands PAC, a long-term commitment by the company to see casinos come to Texas. The political action committee already has $2 million set aside for spending efforts.
Texas Sands PAC
The committee was created in January and has already spend $500,000 on three races to help incumbents beat out the competition. The goal is to have the right lawmakers in place to see casino legislation passed.
A report was filed by the PAC this week within the Texas Ethics Commission to provide insight into its donations. Widow of Sheldon Adelson, Miriam Adelson, is the majority shareholder of the company and she has provided $2.3 million to the committee for funding needs.
Sands PAC spokesperson, Matt Hirsch, stated that the group appreciates the willingness of lawmakers to have an open dialogue about the economic benefits of casinos, including major job creation. The group plans to actively engage with local and state leaders in 2022 to bring legislation to the forefront of everyone’s mind. The end goal is to see enough preparation that during the next session, legislation will be passed into law.
Donations Spread Throughout the House and Senate
The PAC has provided donations to more than 30 incumbents to assist with this year’s campaign efforts. Existing House and Senate members have benefited as well as candidates hoping to take open seats in legislature.
The donations to each individual connected to the House range from $3,000 to $25,000. The largest payments went to House Speaker Dade Phelan and those who align with him including Ryan Guillen. For Senate members, the donations started at $4,000 and go as high as $30,000. The group also provided Governor Greg Abbott with $75,000 to help in his race.
It will be interesting to see if this effort will put supporters in place so that legislation can pass into law, allowing casinos in Texas. The largely conservative state has been unable to pass casino bills in the year’s past due to low support numbers. It seems that the Las Vegas Sands is focused on this side of the fight so that the right people are in positions of power to make the company’s Texas gambling dreams come true.
About the Author
