In the early 1990’s, gambling interests targeted the City of San Antonio, Texas. They promised an economic boon and dangled the lure of potential new revenues to city coffers.
Unlike many state and local leaders, then San Antonio Mayor Nelson Wolff and the City Council actively investigated the question whether introducing casinos into the city would improve people’s lives.
In looking at the issue, they did not rely on studies and consultants paid for by gambling interests. They created their own task force that did their own analysis based on credible, independent research.
In the end, they rejected casinos and instead, led the way for signature economic-development projects like the nationally famous San Antonio Riverwalk.
Here is the final report of the city’s 1994 Task Force: “The Potential Impacts of Casino in San Antonio.”
