Would Hawaii be more appealing to you if you could gamble here

[alohaex]

There is a Gambling Bill going around in the Hawaii congress that will allow gambling in Hawaii. Right now it is illegal to gamble here. So I was wondering would being able to gamble here make you want to come here.

[StarfoxFan2009]

I vote no on Hawaii getting casinos. It'll ruin the natural beauty that Hawaii has.

[alohaex]

True true but it will help our state budget crisis that's why it is up for debate in the congress

[elrod21]

I don't gamble, so it wouldn't make me want to go there anymore than I do now. Now a drop in the price of a vacation there would make it more appealing.

Hawaii is somewhere I have always wanted to visit, but I just can't afford the trip with my family. Someday though. :)

[Tails]

I don't gamble, so it wouldn't make me want to go there anymore than I do now. Now a drop in the price of a vacation there would make it more appealing.

Hawaii is somewhere I have always wanted to visit, but I just can't afford the trip with my family. Someday though. :)
My feelings too.

[StarfoxFan2009]

If it'll help your deficit, then power to them. at least make travel cheaper though

[sabby]

I agree with everyone else. No to the casinos, yes to lowering the travel costs. I would be more likely to go to the islands if the costs were down more so than if a hi-stake casino was there (although, I do not gamble either).

Take notes from Cancun, they are a tourist attraction and cater to travelers for their income, I think Hawaii would benefit from the same.

[Kong]

Who would gamble in Hawaii. That is one of the saddest things I've ever heard.

[Dudebro]

I'm usually in favor of Casinos but it seems really wrong for Hawaii. One major drawback is you'd be attracting lots of old desperate people who seem to live in Casinos.

[alohaex]

This is very interesting so far everyone says no it's to bad I can't send this to the congress. Just out of curiosity how much does it cost to come to Hawaii from your area for me to fly inter island cost about $150-$200

[Dudebro]

I know it would cost me far lass to fly to Vegas, because I did just that. I would've loved to go to Hawaii but the cost is just through the roof.

[StarfoxFan2009]

i'd estimate a good 10 thousand dollar trip or more

[alohaex]

10 thousand!!!!!!!!!!!! Your kidding right

[StarfoxFan2009]

well considering the fact that the airline tickets, hotel room, food, and other expenses are more than likely very high, i consider it a moderate estimate at best

[Tails]

SFF is right.

[jim5cents]

Could you spend 10k on a trip to Hawaii? Sure, would it cost 10k to vacation there, heck no.

Back to the question at hand.

No one would go to Hawaii because it is a casino location. They go because it is a tropical paradise. For gaming opportunities, there are much closer and easier choices on the mainland. For example, Las Vegas, Reno, St. Louis (4 casinos within 10 miles, 3 within 1000 yards), Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in New England, Atlantic City, not to mention the literally hundreds of casinos that have popped up on Indian Reservations and along riverfronts across the country.

Casinos in the United States - US Casino Finder (http://www.uscasinofinder.com/US%20Casinos.asp)

Concerning the benefit of a casino, you have to look at who benefits. The casino owners and you can make the arguement that the local and state governement does through taxation...until you start looking at the additional costs that have generally come with having a casino.
The biggest arguement is that a casino is a killer for the local economy. A casino built in a economically depressed area has the potential to suck the life out of its local economy. Sure, there could be an influx of tourism, but in Hawaii's case, I don't see tourism increasing because of gambling. Instead, it has the potential to draw the local spenders away from preexisting businesses and into the casinos, this would cause a crash in the local economy, thus creating more problems and loss of revenue for state.

[joz]

I just looked up some plane ticket prices for the first week of August and it comes up to about one grand a pop round trip if I leave from San Antonio, TX. I imagine the prices would vary depending on location and the month of departure. Staying at a decent hotel would be anywhere between $200 and over $1,000 per night depending on the island you choose to stay on. The "cheap" hotels probably suck but then again, why would you want to spend your time inside a hotel when you're in Hawaii?
Anyways, so for staying at a decent hotel for 6 days would be around between $3,000 and $4,000. Food and drinks...I would try to limit myself to $250 a day. Gifts and memorabilia - $1,000 maybe more make it $1,500...and then there's also local shows and activities like scuba diving, banana boat rides (if you're into that sort of thing), paragliding, volcano hiking and other things. $2,500. And I'm gonna toss in another $3,000 for emergencies like getting stranded due to flight delays and other inconveniences. For a grand total of...... $14,500 for me and the Mrs. not including the little one. For all three of us to go, it would be about an extra 7K for a total of $21,500. I really should start saving up for that...


And to answer the question about the casinos...NO. That is a horrible idea.

[Kong]

Round trip airfare for me would be $900.

Hotel and food would be free - it is a tropical paradise remember. Sleep on the beech and eat food from the trees. You could also use CouchSurfing - Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch At A Time (http://www.couchsurfing.org/) or WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (http://www.wwoof.org/)

When I was 21 me and my girlfriend backpacked across Europe. Trip for two from Dallas to Athens then 10 weeks traveling across the Mediterranean to Lisbon and then back to Dallas cost about $2,500 total. That included all travel (plane, boat, train, bus and car rental), hotels and hostels for about half the trip (other half was camping or sleeping in trains, boat, or car), all food (ate from grocery stores instead of restaurants), all entertainment - did lots of free stuff but paid for some too ( I did skip the Sistine Chapel because it cost something like $30, that was probably too frugal and dumb). We spent less than $100 on memorabilia (a video of a play we saw and a coat and some photos). And we got to sleep in a castle for 2 weeks in Morocco.

Went to Athens, Patmos, Bari, Rome, Venice, Nimes, Barcelona, Granada, Gibraltar, Tangier, Lisbon, several small cities in Spain, three cargo ships which are similar to cheap cruise ships.

We did get an incredible deal on the air fare. We bought the tickets the day before we left and they were $1,000 round trip for both of us. We also got our passports the day before we left. There is only 13 cities in the US where you can do that. We were a 10 hour drive from Huston.

My point is you do not have to save up your entire life to have a one week vacation. Just don't spend $200 a day on hotels and another $200 on food and you can easily find the money to do it today. You can probably pay for most of it by subleasing your house while you are gone.

And Jim is right, casinos would hurt Hawaii.

[joz]

I would personally enjoy sleeping out in the open, but I know my wife wouldn't enjoy that very much. If I traveled alone, I could really cover some ground and save a ton by just carrying the essentials in my backpack, a small tent, and my trusty knife in my pocket and I'm good to go.

[jim5cents]

Besides, why do to Hawaii. As opposed to Hawaii, I would recommend the following tropical places. The Caymen Islands (and if you really want to get away, one of the smaller islands, Little Caymen or Caymen Brac) or Turks and Caicos (has one of the best capital cities, Cockburn Town)

[joz]

I want to visit Belize and Puerto Rico.

[jim5cents]

Good calls as well. My mom has been to Belize several times, mainly to dive at Blue Hole. She loves it. I have also been to Costa Rica...I have mixed feelings. The jungle and shoreline is fantasic, the city (San Jose) is awful.

[alohaex]

Wow I had no clue it cost that much to come to a place I take for granted most times. It really opens your eyes and show's me how lucky I am to live here

[joz]

I don't know if I would like living in Hawaii though...not a big fan of the potential tsunami threats and molten rocks falling on top of my house. I'm sure the view is spectacular though.

[Dudebro]

Besides, why do to Hawaii.
Because it's Hawaii. It's the only US state that is a tropical paradise(PR doesn't count, yet) and it's a volcanic island chain full of awesome things to see. Other tropical paradises are similar but Hawaii just seems cooler to me.

[Kugyince]

Because it's Hawaii. It's the only US state that is a tropical paradise
Florida Keys?

[Dudebro]

I guess it depends on your definition of paradise and my limited knowledge of paradises.

[alohaex]

I don't know if I would like living in Hawaii though...not a big fan of the potential tsunami threats and molten rocks falling on top of my house. I'm sure the view is spectacular though.

Only on the Big Island of Hawaii do you have to worry about the lava. Lava rocks do fly through the air but thats only at the crater itself everywhere else it is like a flowing river. Check this link for a view of the volcano
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/POcam/

[Thunderlips]

Once you throw a wife and three kids into the mix "airline" vacations go through the roof. I know people still do it but I think its all paid with credit. I loathe having to "finance" a vacation.

[StarfoxFan2009]

if we had the time, we'd probably go to disneyland in california. my mom's uncle can get us in free ;)

[alohaex]

if we had the time, we'd probably go to disneyland in california. my mom's uncle can get us in free ;)

So lucky I always wanted to go there

[joz]

Once you throw a wife and three kids into the mix "airline" vacations go through the roof. I know people still do it but I think its all paid with credit. I loathe having to "finance" a vacation.

Yet another reason why I don't want kids. I got a step son, so I'm good with him. Just 8 more years and he's off to college.

[elrod21]

No doubt kids are expensive. My daughter is graduating this year and the costs with that are well expensive. :P

[warghoul]

I just voted yes even though when I want to gamble I go to Vegas and I have no intentions on going to Hawaii if I did go and there where casinos there I'd probably stop in and drop some money on black jack or something so if it helps the economy why not.

[jim5cents]

if I did go and there where casinos there I'd probably stop in and drop some money on black jack or something so if it helps the economy why not.

Your dollars spent on helping the economy would be much better spent on actual businesses in that local economy. Restaraunts, gift stores, services, recreation, etc.

[warghoul]

@Jim If I went there I would still use those buisnesses as well but if Im on vacation and go by a casino I'd probably stop in for a couple hours I don't think it would hinder any of my other spending.

[elrod21]

To each there own, but If I ever saved enough to go to a place like Hawaii I wouldn't spend one red cent gambling there.

[alohaex]

You know what me neither I don't think I would gamble even if there was a casino near by at least not here at home. I would try it once but I think it would get old real quick

[jim5cents]

A much more cost effective Hawaiian vacation would probably be to do a Hawaiian cruise that went out of some place like LA.

Just a quick check, cost was 2500 per for a 14 day cruise, that would include all food/lodging costs. Plus tons of entertainment, access to onshore activites, if you have kids, child care and so on.

Plus, if you are a gambling junky, most cruise lines have casinos

[alohaex]

Plus, if you are a gambling junky, most cruise lines have casinos

I wonder if those casinos shut down once they hit waters that gambling is illegal?

[Dudebro]

I would assume so. I took a cruise years ago and they didn't open the gambling rooms until we were out at sea. The slots were open the whole time though because that's legal, which is pretty stupid.

[alohaex]

Hmmm interesting

[CrispyChicken]

Just 8 more years and he's off to college.

Just one of the many reasons I admire Joz :worship: XD

But I agree. No to casinos, yes to lowering traveling costs. I'm a family of five so a trip to Hawaii would probably end up being close to 30k if we stayed a whole week...

[alohaex]

Just found out that a bill that would let televised poker tournament be held here in Hawaii has been killed in the Hawaii legislation

[StarfoxFan2009]

That's good to hear. it puts Hawaii one step closer to potentially killing the other bill

[alohaex]

I'm still waiting to hear about the other bill

[alohaex]

Just got an update that the bill to allow gambling here in Hawaii has died so no gambling allowed here yet. But there is talk of it coming up again in next year congress

[Dudebro]

Just found out that a bill that would let televised poker tournament be held here in Hawaii has been killed in the Hawaii legislation
I missed this before. You mean like letting the world series poker TV show be held in Hawaii? I can't see why that would hurt, it's just a one time thing. If anything it would bring in a bunch of money and advertising, which leads to more money from tourism. I don't think it would hurt their ban on gambling.

[alohaex]

Yes that what I meant. As you said it would bring in money and be a one time event but they probably thought that it would bring in something we don't want. I'm not sure I don't know the details

[Dudebro]

Sounds like an overreaction. It'd be like saying hosting the porn awards would bring in more pornography.

[alohaex]

True I think they expected the worst before the best