Macon-Bibb County’s Urban Development Authority laid the foundation for a potential casino on the site of the old J.C. Penney store at Macon Mall.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, or GLPI, secured a $20 million purchase option over 10 years at Thursday’s UDA meeting, which allows time for the Georgia General Assembly to approve casino gambling in the state.
Mayor Lester Miller said with proposals at the state Capitol to eliminate Georgia’s income tax and reduce property taxes, lawmakers are looking to add additional revenue, which could come from casinos.
“There’s so many states across the United States that are legalizing casinos because basically, we already have them in our communities anyway, through sports betting and through machines in the stores. So there’s a lot of different perspective on whether or not Georgia can get casinos in the near future,” Miller said.
