Third, many politicians and campaign contributors have supported gambling in the past. This includes Mayor Lanier, his friends, and the Hilton Hotels Corporation. Fourth, because convention center hotels that are propped up with municipal financing have an abysmal success rate. A U.S. News computer analysis shows that towns with casinos have experienced an upsurge of crime at the same time it was dropping for the nation as a whole. Casinos often shift jobs and money around within communities, but do not enhance economic growth.
Casinos serve food in cheap buffets to keep gamblers within the casino walls.
Traditional neighborhood restaurants and neighborhood businesses are the losers. The U.S. News report also concluded, not surprisingly, that more people become compulsive gamblers as casinos and lotteries spread. And sharpies in Houston are interested in being casino owners. The ultimate goal is to get support from those locals who see that they can make money off of gambling, either through taxes or local business. Personalities and loyalties came into play.