JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Should the city of Jacksonville legalize adult game rooms? That’s a question making its way through the City Council.
News4JAX spoke with two council members who are outspoken and on opposite sides. On one side is Councilman Garrett Dennis, the sponsor of a bill that would legalize 20 adult game rooms in Jacksonville.
“It is a very inexpensive entertainment for a population in our city,” Dennis said.
On the other side is City Council member LeAnna Cumber.
“Just because people are violating the law and trying to open these up illegally doesn’t mean that we should re-regulate them,” Cumber said.
The city shut down adult game rooms three years ago. Dennis says they are back, operating underground. And he says his ordinance would regulate them -- make them safe.
“Now we have a better grasp on the business, a better grasp on how to regulate the industry,” Dennis said. “So I put forth this bill, and now it’s going to be up to the 19 members of council to debate it, for the public to come out and express if they want to have them to reopen here in our city.”
“I’m glad the Gaming Commission weighed in and said, not only are they illegal in Duval County, they’re simply illegal throughout the state,” Cumber said.
The letter from the Gaming Control Commission was sent to City Council President Terrance Freeman a week ago. It’s specific to the bill by Dennis, and it has four main points:
- Slot machines are generally illegal
- Slot machine gaming isn’t specifically allowed in Duval County
- Only the Florida Constitution can expand slot machine gaming
- Any city ordinance allowing it wouldn’t keep people from being prosecuted
Cumber says she wants the city to take the hint.
“We’ve had shootings at these places. We’ve had drug deals to be taken down. We’ve had sex trafficking, which is something that I’ve been very focused on since I started, so we need to focus, like I said, on cleaning up our neighborhoods and making them safe for families rather than tearing them down by introducing these again,” Cumber said.
“This is inexpensive entertainment,” Dennis said. “And again, adults -- they have a choice whether to frequent these or not.”
Dennis says his bill will be in committee next week. Only a few people spoke on the bill during public comment in this week’s council meeting.