The move is being called "the biggest" expansion of gambling in Florida's history.

Announced Nov. 14 in a ceremony with Seminole Chairman Mitchell Cypress in the governor's office in Tallahassee, Gov. Crist told Floridians that the deal will bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax revenues to the state. He said the pact was necessary, for without it, the U.S. Department of Interior, which has jurisdiction over Indian gaming, would sign-off on Las Vegas-type slot machines at the Indian casinos, leaving Florida with "nothing to show in potential tax revenues" from the expanded entertainment.

"I think political leadership approves of this," said Crist. "And I don't think a vigorous debate is necessary. If people don't like gambling, they shouldn't go."

Gov. Crist claims that the deal is going to limit a further expansion of gambling in the Sunshine State. The compact stipulates that if the exclusive rights the Seminoles enjoy to slots machines outside of Broward and Miami-Dade counties and to blackjack, baccarat and other card games throughout the state are approved by the Legislature, the tribe would stop sharing its wealth with the state. According to Crist, this creates a "powerful disincentive" to further gambling expansion elsewhere in the state.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has 45 days to review the compact before giving its blessing, which it is expected to do. But, some lawmakers still oppose the expansion.

Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, is not waiting to see what the federal government thinks, and on Nov. 19 he filed a 31-page petition with the Florida Supreme Court asking the high court to void the compact. Rubio repeatedly warned the governor against giving the Seminoles the deal.

Gambling Petition

"This case is about the Governor's encroachment on the Legislature's law- and policy-making authority, in violation of our Constitution's strict separation of powers provision," said the petition. "Without constitutional or statutory authority, the Governor has purported to bind the state to a 25-year Indian gaming compact that, among other things, authorizes types of gambling that are currently illegal everywhere in Florida and restricts the Legislature's discretion in myriad ways."

Within days of the compact announcement, a "special message" from Crist was e-mailed across the state, television commercials started airing and a new Web site opened to convince citizens that the compact is worth of support.

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