Senator behind gambling bill worked for resort owners

TALLAHASSEE — The powerful state senator trying to push through a dramatic expansion of gambling in Florida recently was working for the company that owns a Miami Beach hotel interested in adding slot machines.

State Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican and attorney, has acknowledged that he did legal work for Turnberry Associates on a “commercial transaction” as recently as three years ago.

Turnberry Associates is a real-estate development company that owns the famous Fontainebleau Hotel. In the past several years, the hotel has showered top politicians in the state and the Republican Party with more than $2 million in campaign contributions, including money that went to a political committee Galvano controlled.

Last week, he released a major gambling bill that covers everything from legalizing fantasy sports to allowing the Seminole Tribe of Florida to offer craps and roulette at its casinos. The legislation, which will have its first hearing next week, also would allow the addition of slot machines in Miami-Dade County.

Galvano said he has no plans to work again for Turnberry and he insisted his past work for them was not influencing how he crafted the bill.

“The reality is whatever is in that bill is going to be what I believe is the best path for the state of Florida, where I think the Senate wants to go based on the last several years,” he said. “And my legal work has no impact on it.”

Galvano’s financial disclosures to the state show that his main source of income comes from his law firm and his legislative salary. Citing attorney-client privilege, he declined to go into detail about his work for Turnberry.