W.Va. bill to lower casino fees appears dead
West Virginia bill to lower casino fees appears dead in House committee
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A bill to lower the fees on West Virginia's racetrack casinos has stalled in a House committee.
The bill would have lowered the fees by $1 million for each casino. Wheeling Island casino threatened to drop table games unless its fee was lowered.
The bill was dropped from the House Judiciary Committee agenda Friday, effectively dooming its chance of passage.
Wheeling Island says it will lose $1 million on table games this year. Discontinuing table games would mean more than 100 jobs lost.
Legislators questioned whether Wheeling Island really needs the fee reduction. The casino has grossed more than $70 million in slot machine revenue since July 1.
Mardi Gras casino makes about half as much on gaming as Wheeling Island. Mardi Gras has not requested a fee reduction.
