South Carolina Lawmaker Ties Casino Revenue to Land Conservation
A South Carolina legislator is pitching a plan that ties potential casino development along Interstate 95 to land conservation, aiming to win support for a project that has faced moral and political opposition.
Lawmaker Proposes Using Casino Taxes to Fund Land Conservation
Rep. Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, said he will introduce an amendment to a gambling bill that would dedicate 35% of casino tax revenue to the S.C. Conservation Bank, the state agency responsible for preserving forests, farmland, and culturally significant land.
Bannister’s proposal comes amid renewed debate over House Bill 4176, formally known as the “I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act.” The legislation would allow a single casino in economically distressed counties along the corridor with the goal of creating roughly 4,600 jobs and generating an estimated $100 million in state and local tax revenue annually. If the conservation amendment is adopted, about $35 million of that revenue would be directed toward land preservation programs, with half earmarked specifically to safeguard farmland through easements that prevent development while allowing continued agricultural use.
Supporters of the plan argue the amendment could sway lawmakers who are hesitant about casino expansion. “Most of the members are sort of lukewarm, but if it helps something they care about, like conservation, they would be more favorable,” Bannister said. Advocates note that using public funds for land conservation has gained popularity in the state, with Gov. Henry McMaster and other officials historically investing in preserving farmland and flood-prone areas.
Moral Objections, Tribal Concerns, and Political Headwinds Remain
Opposition remains strong, however. Religious leaders have rallied against the measure, framing gambling as a moral issue rather than a fiscal one, while the governor has repeatedly opposed casino expansion.
The Catawba Nation, which has long sought to establish a casino in South Carolina along I-95, has also expressed concern that the bill does not explicitly include the tribe in any licensing process. Meanwhile, economic pressure from neighboring North Carolina is influencing the debate, as lawmakers weigh the potential loss of tax revenue to other states.
HB 4176 would create the South Carolina Gaming Commission to oversee licensing and regulation and impose a 15% tax on casino revenue. Only one license would initially be issued, and it could not be expanded for a decade. Bannister and other backers see the amendment as a political pivot that reframes the bill as both an economic stimulus and a tool to protect the state’s farmland and forests.
The amendment could be formally introduced as soon as the week of Jan. 19 when the bill is expected to reach the House floor. Whether it will tip the balance in favor of HB 4176 remains uncertain, but supporters believe the combination of job creation, economic development, and conservation incentives may help move the legislation forward despite opposition.
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