Hawaii governor supports gambling on ships

Bruce Dunford

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001 | 9:48 a.m.

HONOLULU -- Gambling should be allowed on interisland cruise ships in Hawaii, as long as it only takes place outside the three-mile limit, Gov. Ben Cayetano said Monday.

"It's good for their passengers and if they can make another $8 million, then it's more business coming to Hawaii," the governor said.

In an effort to maintain a monopoly for the now-defunct American Classic Voyages cruise ships in Hawaii, Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, won federal legislation to prohibit ships with gambling facilities to operate in Hawaiian waters.

That forced the owners of the Norwegian Star, which arrived in the islands this past weekend to begin interisland cruises, to take out its casino.

Cayetano, in a meeting with neighbor island newspaper editors, also reiterated his support for a single-license gambling casino in Hawaii, but only if the state's proceeds went for a specific purpose such as education or college scholarships.

Earlier this year he proposed letting Hawaii's people decide the legalized gambling issue through an amendment to the state constitution.

At least three gambling groups are expressing interest in establishing a resort-casino in the islands, including Sun International, whose representatives will be in town next week, Cayetano said.

Sun International, which operates resort hotels and casinos in the Bahamas and Atlantic City, earlier this year proposed an $800 million resort-casino at Ko Olina on Oahu.

The governor said a resort-casino in a more isolated location such as Kona or Kohala on the Big Island might be a better idea.

"The ones who have talked to me would all love to be here on Oahu where the people are, but I think for the local people, I think we need to make it a little more difficult to get to," Cayetano said.

Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom, R-Hawaii Kai-Aina Haina, said he would favor allowing the individual counties decide the gambling issue.

If the proponents had a specific plan for how to spend the money, such as tax decreases or education spending, "I'd be much more open to it ... but it's not a panacea," he said.

"We don't buy the idea that just having gambling will help the economy," Slom said.