Proposition 1 — an initiative created by anti gambling zealots that would have doomed an industry that provides $2.9 million to Lakewood’s annual tax revenue — failed to take hold of Lakewood voters. At the time this article was written the proposition was failing by a wide margin. Gary Hess, who is the general manager at Lakewood’s Great American Casino, is claiming victory.

“It was a long fight, and we were accused of a lot of things that just weren’t true,” says Hess of the contentiousness that permeated the battle over Proposition 1 between anti gambling activists and legitimate businessmen like Hess who faced an end to their livelihoods had the proposition succeeded. “I just want to say thank you to the Lakewood citizens that let their voices be heard.”

Hess shouldn’t be the only one saying thanks. While the failure of Proposition 1 ensures businesses like the Great American Casino will be able to keep their doors open, the positive impact mini-casinos have on life in Lakewood can’t be understated. Besides the aforementioned tax revenue that helps Lakewood fund things like free school breakfasts to kids that need them, mini-casinos also employ roughly 600 people — 600 people that would have been out of work had the proposition passed.

“If it had passed, we would have shut the casino down,” says Hess, noting that food and drink sales make up a miniscule chunk of the Great American Casino’s business. “For me it would have meant possibly losing my house, my car and a way of feeding my kids.”

On top of the positive economic affects of mini-casinos in Lakewood, Hess is quick to point out that the Great American Casino — like many other mini-casinos in Lakewood — are active and important players in the community.

“Lakewood’s crime rate is down 27 percent in the five years we’ve been open,” says Hess, citing the tax money generated by mini-casinos that directly funds officers on the street. “We do a lot of good. It’s always been kind of a fight, but to move ahead now we’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing, which is staying active in the community.”

“Proposition 1 was just a bad deal for Lakewood,” says Hess.

Yes it was, and voters apparently realized it. While the idea of helping problem gamblers is a nice one, especially in a city like Lakewood, which — in case you haven’t noticed — is surrounded by other cities, towns and reservations (duh!) with gaming, the positive affect of Proposition 1 would have been minimal at best. That’s the problem with trying to legislate people’s values.

“This was about someone’s beliefs,” says Hess, who suggested the fervor behind Proposition 1 had religious ties. “To try to save the 1 percent of people with a gambling problem by passing Proposition 1 just wouldn’t have worked.”

He’s right. And luckily, voters in Lakewood made the right call. Let the gaming continue. — Matt Driscoll