Live! Casino & Hotel Gives Back Close to $20 Million in Community Projects
Real money gambling at land-based properties and online sites tends to get bad press for the problems they cause. Gambling addition and related issues are a downside in the gaming industry. However, the good this industry does on the local community level should also be noted.
A recent post on www.capitalgazette.com did just that. The post recognized Live! Casino & Hotel in Maryland for its recent efforts to financially support the local community. All told, the casino distributed $18.8 million to community groups as part an arrangement with the state.
A grant totaling $3 million will be used to build an intergenerational center for seniors and children in Severn. The Severn Intergenerational Center will house a senior activity facility. There will also be space for the Boys and Girls Clubs on Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
This new center will be similar to existing Wiley H. Bates Center. This is also located in Annapolis. Arundel Community Development Services Inc.’s Executive Director is Kathleen Koch. Her organization is in charge of the primary aspects of this project as far as financing and construction. The total estimated cost of the new community center is $12 million.
Maryland state law mandates that 4.51 percent of casino revenue is shared with the property’s county. The money is distributed through local impact grants. The Local Development Council has an advisory role in how the money is spent.
The complete breakdown of Live! Casino’s $18.8 million for 2020 includes:
- $3 million for the new community center
- $5.2 million for the county fire department
- $3.4 million for the local police
- $1.7 million for the Anne Arundel Community College
The casino previously committed $2.7 million to the community center project along with a $1 million grant from the federal government. It was noted that the need for this project was identified quite a while ago.
County Executive Steuart Pittman noted this is his favorite project included in the fiscal 2020 capital budget. Residents in this community have been working towards this cause for more than 30 years.
Pittman noted that he would like to see further community involvement as the project progresses. He hopes to see the plans unfold “so it becomes what these folks have envisioned.” Last year, the county’s Boys and Girls Clubs served 210 children ages 6 to 18. Acting as CEO for the organization, Lisa Mondoro stated:
“Right now we are at capacity. We can’t go any further. We can’t serve any more youth.”
Live! Casino & Hotel is owned and operated by Cordish Companies. Principal Joe Weinberg noted that his company has invested $250 million into the casino over the past 18 months. This includes a new hotel with a new events center opening in the near future.
With over 4000 employees, the company will continue to invest in both the property and local community. Weinberg added:
“We look forward to having many, many years of events like this where we can continue to reinvest in a very worthy community.”
