§ 1300. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds
and declares that:

1. New York state is already in the business of gambling with nine
video lottery facilities, five tribal class III casinos, and three
tribal class II facilities;

2. New York state has more electronic gaming machines than any state
in the Northeast or Mideast;

3. While gambling already exists throughout the state, the state does
not fully capitalize on the economic development potential of legalized
gambling;

4. The state should authorize four destination resort casinos in
upstate New York;

5. Four upstate casinos can boost economic development, create
thousands of well-paying jobs and provide added revenue to the state;

6. The upstate tourism industry constitutes a critical component of
our state's economic infrastructure and that four upstate casinos will
attract non-New York residents and bring downstate New Yorkers to
upstate;

7. The casino sites and the licensed owners shall be selected on
merit;

8. Local impact of the casino sites will be considered in the casino
evaluation process;

9. Revenue realized from casinos shall be utilized to increase support
for education beyond that of the state's education formulae and to
provide real property tax relief to localities;

10. Casinos will be tightly and strictly regulated by the commission
to guarantee public confidence and trust in the credibility and
integrity of all casino gambling in the state and to prevent organized
crime from any involvement in the casino industry;

11. The need for strict state controls extends to regulation of all
persons, locations, practices and associations related to the operation
of licensed enterprises and all related service industries as provided
in this article;

12. The state and the casinos will develop programs and resources to
combat compulsive and problem gambling;

13. The state will ensure that host municipalities of casinos are
provided with funding to limit any potential adverse impacts of casinos;

14. As thoroughly and pervasively regulated by the state, four upstate
casinos will work to the betterment of all New York.