Michael Pollock, William Coley, & Rod Motamedi – Addressing Short-term and Long-term Fiscal Questions: How to Establish Gaming Policy to Generate Optimal Economic Benefits

[Slides]Gaming Policy in Difficult Times: Getting it Right the First Time – Michael Pollock, Spectrum Gaming & Ohio Senator William Coley

[Slides]The Economic & Fiscal Ramifications of Gaming Expansions – Rod Motamedi, UMass Donahue Institute

[Recording]Addressing Short-term and Long-term Fiscal Questions: How to Establish Gaming Policy to Generate Optimal Economic Benefits – Michael Pollock, William Coley, & Rod Motamedi

Governments across the United States are grappling with a medical and economic crisis that has placed all of us in uncharted territory. With these challenges in mind, REMI and Spectrum Gaming Group will jointly present a webinar on Thursday, April 2nd from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (ET) titled “Addressing Short-term and Long-term Fiscal Questions: How to Establish Gaming Policy to Generate Optimal Economic Benefits.”

REMI Managing Economic Associate Chris Judson will be moderating this important webinar. Guest speakers for this discussion are:

  • National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) President & Ohio Senator William Coley
  • Spectrum Gaming Group Managing Director Michael Pollock
  • University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute Senior Research Manager Rod Motamedi

Gaming is surely one of the most regulated industries in the United States, but it is far more than that. It is an industry that many legislators, economists, local businesses, and individuals view as an economic catalyst. As so many stakeholders pin their fiscal and economic hopes on this industry, can it deliver? And what policies can be pursued to help advance those critical goals?

Before the current COVID-19 challenge took hold, the ongoing expansion of sports betting and other new forms of gaming had already reignited and further piqued states’ interest in capitalizing on potential new revenue streams provided by the gaming industry.

These efforts are being further fueled by the reaction to COVID-19. States may now be considering mobile betting as a means of securing new and diversified fiscal revenue streams while promoting a form of gaming that does not require social interaction.

We will provide a specific analysis of those opportunities and challenges before suggesting a long-term roadmap.

We look forward to examining the recent trends in the gaming industry, determining the economic effects of various state approaches to implementing casino gambling, and describing the methodologies utilized in gaming policy assessments during our webinar.

Patrick Barkey, Ph.D. – Assessing Early Retirement of Coal Generation

[Slides]Assessing Early Retirement of Coal Generation – Patrick Barkey, Ph.D., University of Montana

[Recording]Assessing Early Retirement of Coal Generation – Patrick Barkey, Ph.D., University of Montana

Montana’s Colstrip power plant ceased the operation of two of its four units at the beginning of 2020, and this development is one of the latest in the trend of coal plant closures occurring across the United States.

REMI will be joined by Patrick Barkey, Ph.D., Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, on Wednesday, April 15th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (ET) for a guest webinar presentation, “Assessing Early Retirement of Coal Generation,” that explains the economic role of the Colstrip Steam Electric Station and similar power plants in terms of electricity generation and employment.

Dr. Barkey is prepared to overview the Colstrip power plant, its impact on annual household income, GDP, and employment in the county and Montana as a whole, and its share of electricity generation in the state.

This webinar presentation reviews three studies conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research that analyzed the Colstrip plant’s impact resulting from its operation, as well as the effects of potential shutdowns and alternative investment efforts. Dr. Barkey will also forecast the future of the plant now that two of its four units have ceased production.

“Assessing Early Retirement of Coal Generation” includes demonstrations of how to use REMI modeling to evaluate the demographic and economic impacts of closing a major employer and energy generator in a given region, explanations of how to compare simulations of an economy against the baseline scenario, and the implications of halted power plant operations on a region’s future.

Ted Egan, Ph.D. – San Francisco Developments: The Link Between Office Limitations and Affordable Housing

[Slides]San Francisco Developments: The Link Between Office Limitations and Affordable Housing – Ted Egan, Ph.D., City & County of San Francisco

[Recording]San Francisco Developments: The Link Between Office Limitations and Affordable Housing – Ted Egan, Ph.D., City & County of San Francisco

REMI will be offering a guest webinar presentation provided by Chief Economist Ted Egan, Ph.D. from the City and County of San Francisco on Wednesday, April 1st from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (ET) entitled “San Francisco Developments: The Link Between Office Limitations and Affordable Housing.”

The City and County of San Francisco recently increased the fee it assesses on new office developments to fund its affordable housing projects. A second measure on the March 2020 ballot will ask voters to consider further limitations on future office developments if the City does not meet affordable housing goals set by state and regional agencies. Since the City has not met these goals in the past, the measure has the potential to substantially affect future office development and employment in the city.

Legislators started making and proposing changes to commercial linkage fees after several years of surging employment and housing prices in San Francisco. Dr. Egan will discuss the net economic impact of limiting office building developments in favor of expanding the Bay Area’s affordable housing options.

This guest presentation will review economic impact analyses of both measures that utilized the REMI model to evaluate the impacts on economic growth, income, employment, and housing affordability.