Michigan Proposal 1 - Gaming

I was looking for a description of Michigan's proposal 1 and came across this article from the Saginaw News dated September 15, 2004. The proposal -- on the ballot for the Nov. 2 election -- would require approval of most new forms of gambling including video lottery games, by Michigan voters and those in the community targeted for the expansion. If approved, any form of gambling authorized after Jan. 1, 2004 would require a statewide vote and a local vote.

This aricle provides additional info on the funding behind both the pro and con sides as well as a good summary of what it means:

The proposal began as a reaction to the Legislature's passage of "racinos," which allows the state to install video slot machines at nine race tracks in the state, including one in Saginaw County. Anti-gambling forces and existing casino interests who would prefer to not have more competition are the odd alliance behind Prop 1's passage. Pro-gaming interests, including those who want to see racinos in Michigan, want the proposal to fail. So do Michigan Lottery officials. They fear the proposal would limit the lottery's ability to introduce new games in the future.

Prop 1 would put a limit on new forms of gambling in Michigan. It would also put a crimp on the state lottery's ability to introduce new games, although exactly what the amendment would limit is open to legal interpretation. The ballot wording says it would limit "any new state lottery game utilizing table games or player operated mechanical or electronic devices."

The question voters will have to answer is whether they think Michigan has enough gambling or not, and whether they want to take a crapshoot on cutting off the lottery from new games.

Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1972 for the lottery. Detroit and state voters approved an amendment in 1996 to allow three casinos in the Motor City. Native American casinos fall under federal jurisdiction.

Read the whole article for more info.

The proposal as it will appear on the ballot is located here. I'm not sure what to make of the last clause which says "... the voter approval requirement does not apply to Indian tribal gaming or gambling in up to three casinos located in the City of Detroit." I get the Indian tribal gaming exclussion since Indian gaming falls under federal jurisdiction, but what about the exclussion for the three Detroit casinos?