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Fight Over Slots Could Come Down To Very Last Vote

Anne Arundel County, Md. (WJZ) ― Doorbells are ringing in Anne Arundel County in a last-minute effort to sway voters in Anne Arundel County. The fight over slots in Arundel Mills is still in a dead heat. Suzanne Collins explains why it could come down to the very last vote. A recent poll by the Baltimore Sun showed people in favor of the casino just 2 percentage points ahead of those against slots at the mall. So, these last days are critical.

David Cordish, a Baltimore businessman who wants to build a slots casino at Arundel Mills, and David Modell, former owner of the Baltimore Ravens, call themselves "The Home Team." They say opposition to Question A is funded by an out-of-state casino owner.

"If Question A passes, it'll immediately create 4,000 new jobs," Cordish said. And "$400 million in revenue for the state education fund."

At a community center near Arundel Mills, the group against slots at the mall rallied.

"We're preparing for a final push," said David Jones. "We're going door to door, house to house.  Guerilla warfare style, engage our neighbors."

The neighborhood group against slots at Arundel Mills gained steam when the new owners of Laurel Park Racecourse, Penn National, put up funding. A recent Sun poll shows Cordish's group just two points up, but it is a statistical tie.

"When you look at where we were in the polls two months ago, it's a straight line up and we're pulling away," Cordish said. Modell says he joined Cordish because they are friends, and he thinks the casino is good for the state and for Anne Arundel County.

"Maryland needs jobs now," Modell said. "They don't need jobs in 2-3 years if this ever gets sorted out. They need jobs now."

Those against slots at the mall say it would be better to put them at Laurel Park even though there is no legal guarantee that would happen if Question A fails.

"We can say 'No' to Question A right now and restart the process so we can look at putting them at the racetrack where it's an appropriate place," Jones said.

Anne Arundel County has had considerable big voter turnout during early voting. And it's easy to see why. 

More than $219,000 people casted their ballots in Maryland's early voting period. That's just over 6 percent of all registered voters.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGEvv0j_MNaI7zh1p-NH9WHKqHlaw&url=http://wjz.com/local/casino.maryland.Arundel.2.1988801.html

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