Horwath HTL Contributes to Study on the Impact of Potential Gaming in Atlanta, Georgia

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. February 15, 2017

ATLANTA, GA. February 15, 2017 - Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (CAP/ADID) recently released a report revealing data on the potential impacts of proposed casino gaming in the state of Georgia. In order to provide a neutral viewpoint on the issue, CAP/ADID selected Horwath HTL, among other advisory firms, to consider the proposed legislation and provide an expert outlook on the introduction of the casino industry at both the State and local area.

"In the past decade, Downtown Atlanta enjoyed more than $3.8 billion in investment," explains Paul Breslin, Managing Director of Horwath HTL in Atlanta. "It is important, if not crucial, for future hospitality ventures to capitalize on this momentum, and ensure the right mix of development that would facilitate, not hinder, continued growth in Downtown.

CAP/ADID's final report concluded the following key takeaways:
•Casino gaming could indeed generate an additional source of state revenue, but has its drawbacks;
•Casino revenue is primarily generated from locals, not tourists;
•Substitution effects will likely exist, but are complex and difficult to fully predict;
•Local communities will incur costs. Therefore, funding mechanisms must be in place to mitigate any potential impacts;
•Social issues need to be mitigated for communities closest to a casino;
•Local communities must set and negotiate specific objectives before allowing a casino development.

Recently proposed legislation in Georgia would see the creation of two casinos in Georgia, one of which would require a minimum investment of $2.0 billion. At this early stage, much has been said about their implementation approach, the use of tax revenue generated, and their overall contribution to the local environment.

"We hope this study will allow all of us to better understand the ultimate impacts, both positive and negative, of casino gaming in our City, and, ultimately, our State's economy. We are grateful to have had Horwath HTL as our hospitality experts for their contributions to our final report," comments Alena Green, Project Manager of Economic Development at CAP.

To read the Casino Gaming in Georgia report in its entirety,

http://www.atlantadowntown.com/initiatives/casino-gaming-study

Paul Breslin, Managing Director of the Atlanta office of Horwath HTL, is a 35-­-year veteran of the hospitality industry. His background within the industry is all encompassing, with extensive experience in hotel operations, development and asset management with major branded hotels as well as independent and smaller luxury hotels. He is a member of the prestigious International Society of Hospitality Consultants and the Hotel Asset Managers Association. He is a Certified Hotel Administrator by the Educational Institute of AHLA. Paul is a founding member and immediate past president of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, and currently serves on its Board. Paul also serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee of Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association. [email protected]

Horwath HTL (Hotels Tourism and Leisure) is the world's largest and most experienced hotel, tourism and leisure consulting brand, with 46 offices in 36 countries. Horwath HTL professionals are among the leading strategic, innovative and forward thinking experts in hospitality today. Horwath HTL is a member of the renowned Crowe Horwath International. Founded in 1915, Crowe Horwath International is a professional association of management consulting firms founded ranked among the top ten international professional service groups with 200 offices in 130 countries. http://horwathhtl.com

Media Contact:
Leora Halpern Lanz
[email protected]
516.680.8529
skype: LeoraLanz