A state Senate committee has passed a bill to give Tangipahoa Parish residents a chance to vote on letting a casino open up shop on the Tangipahoa River near the town of Robert on I-12.

If voters ok the proposal, Diamond Jack Casino in Bossier could be moving to the south Louisiana community. Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller, who supports the propoosal urged the committee to leave the potential re-location to the people of his parish. Houma Republican “Norby” Chabert voted against the plan. He raised questions about whether or not Tangipahoa Parish was the right location for the boat.

Peninsula Pacific owns Diamond Jacks and Chairman Brent Stevens told the committee the Tangipahoa area was "ripe for a new facility." He says there's about $260 million dollars in gaming revenue from Louisiana that goes into Mississippi and the vast preponderance of that goes through Tangipahoa Parish.

The proposal is now headed to the Senate floor.

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