North Charleston mayor taking a gamble on casino boats (AUDIO)

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey says casino boat activity out on the Cooper River could rake in chips for the city of North Charleston.

Audio: Full report with Mayor Summey’s comments (:57)

“We believe that there’s somewhere between $700,000 and a million and a half a year that would come in for direct revenue,” says Summey.

That’s a lot of money that Mayor Keith Summey says he doesn’t want to turn away. But, with some opposition, Summey could be taking a gamble. He says there are state laws to consider:

What we are trying to do is adhere to the laws of the state of South Carolina. Laws of the state of South Carolina do not prohibit us having vessels coming in, being ported here in North Charleston and picking up people and taking them out to international waters to gamble. If they were to change the laws where there could be a casino, then I think it would be something that we would have to objectively look at.

Summey says he expects the boats to bring in tourists. In his research, he says more than 50 percent of the people who utilize the boats are from more than 50 miles away.

Summey says they have not had the first reading yet on the zoning, but the proposal will have to pass two readings and a public hearing. Currently, the proposal is heading to town council from the planning commission.

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