Casinos for O.C.

Suppose Las Vegas-style hotels and casinos were built at El Toro by entrepreneurs and they utilized the existing runway to fly in the vacationers. I wonder if the following benefits would accrue to California in general and Orange County in particular.

Less money would be leaving our state to be deposited in Nevada. More money would be entering. Employment would increase. Tourists would spill over to our beach resort areas to the delight of businessmen from Santa Monica to San Diego and undoubtedly to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm as well. Of course, let’s not forget the minimal noise from the existing runways.

Would state income and property taxes be eliminated as it is in Nevada? The likelihood seems realistic. Perhaps local sales taxes could be reduced. Perhaps there are additional benefits.

The naysayers may be concerned that gambling will bring in and/or cultivate a criminal element. Las Vegas appears to be handling that quite well; why couldn’t Orange County?

Hotel and casino development of the caliber in Las Vegas certainly would not be a blight on our countryside provided they are confined to the El Toro Airport area. Area zoning laws can provide for such confinement.

Perhaps it’s time for our legislators to be creative.

TERRY STEINBERG, Villa Park