Patrick Svitek and Mitchell Ferman
Texas Tribune
The casino empire helmed by GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson is zeroing in on Texas.
Las Vegas Sands, among the world’s largest gaming companies, has set its sights on legalizing casinos in the state with a stable of high-powered lobbyists for the upcoming legislative session and on Tuesday, a public acknowledgment of its ambitions.
Andy Abboud, Las Vegas Sands’ top lobbyist, said the company was pursuing Texas as one of only a few expansion opportunities, along with places like Japan, Brazil and New York.
“We view Texas as a worldwide destination and one of the top potential markets in the entire world,” Abboud said during a conference hosted by the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. “Texas is considered the biggest plum still waiting to be out there in the history of hospitality and gaming.”
GOP megadonor wants casinos in Texas brownsvilleherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from brownsvilleherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
<figcaption> Sheldon Adelson sits onstage before a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump at the Israeli American Council National Summit in Hollywood, Florida on Dec. 7, 2019. <cite>Credit: REUTERS/Loren Elliott</cite>
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Adelson's Las Vegas Sands has built a stable of high-powered lobbyists for the session, which starts in January, and the company acknowledged Tuesday that it is serious about bringing casinos to Texas.