Brutal Reality

(This is part two of my four part post addressing the issue of building a casino/hotel complex in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Please read part one, "Milking The Cobra," before tackling this part.)

It took me quite a while to process all my conflicting thoughts and feelings on the issue of building a casino in Fort Smith. In my military travels to Nellis Air Force Base I’ve resided in Las Vegas hotel/casinos for weeks at a time and I’ve tried various casino games. I’ve even gone so far as to read a couple of books on poker and craps so I could play those games and not look or play like a knothead. But in the process I discovered that I don’t enjoy gambling. It holds no temptation for me at all. I just don’t get it.

However, I have seen the damage gambling addiction can do on a personal level in the life of a relative. This guy nearly ruined his life using gambling as his “drug of choice.” It is worth noting that my relative lives more than 100 miles from the nearest casino and was a gambling addict long before he ever stepped foot in a legal gambling establishment. Gambling got to him because he - just like you - is surrounded by opportunities to gamble in his smaller-that-average-American-home-town. Just because you can’t or won’t see gambling around you doesn’t mean it’s not there - or that your home town is not already dealing with its negative effects.

On the other hand, I know many people who use gambling responsibly - in the same way they use alcohol responsibly – as an entertaining tool to enhance social interaction and relaxation – without ill effect. And that brings me to a pet peeve – I really detest the practice of managing or governing to the lowest common denominator. Other than weak leadership, there is rarely if ever a valid reason to restrict 100% of those who might enjoy an activity responsibly because 4% of the population can’t handle it. In short, gambling is not a ten commandments issue - it is a personal responsibility issue.

I have recently heard it argued quite persuasively that Christians should not engage in or condone gambling because it is impossible to gamble without breaking the Golden Rule – love others as yourself – and to look out for the interests of others as well as yourself. But if we followed that argument to its logical conclusion we would ban all forms of competition because someone wins and someone loses and because people bet on sports. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Perhaps more to the point, when I “lost” money in a casino it never entered my mind that I was someone else’s victim. No one forced me to walk through the doors. No one held a gun to my head and said, “Bet on red.” I am personally responsible for my own actions. I voluntarily participated in a game of chance and skill and, after winning a little and losing my predetermined limit, considered myself to have been sufficiently entertained and walked away just like 96% of people who gamble.

Having established that I believe the use of gambling to be a personal responsibility issue, I am the first to acknowledge that gambling can be – often is - a door to darkness. And some proponents of the Fort Smith casino project decline to acknowledge that reality. Some would even have us believe that hosting a casino is not at all a risky proposition. They avoid the fact that the purveyors of illicit sex, drugs and pornography have a habit of co-locating with casino operations. Although painting a rosy picture of the casino project may build support in the near term, it does nothing to prepare us for the reality we will face when the new wears off or to better cope with the negative effects of gambling we already experience in Fort Smith. Situations like this always reminded of the Stockdale Paradox.

Admiral Stockdale, the senior ranking POW in Vietnam’s Hanoi Hilton prison camp (and the recipient of some of the most brutal torture you can imagine) emerged from that seven year hell-on-earth with a piece of paradoxical advice for us all. He said, “Retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, and at the same time confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.”

So what constitutes our particular set of “most brutal facts?”

First – and this is a big one for me – building and marketing a casino complex in Fort Smith (and it will be heavily and widely marketed) will cause Fort Smith to be labeled as a gambling destination. Ever hear of Tunica? How about Gulfport? Have you ever tried to overcome a label? Have you ever tried to convince someone you have more to offer than your label indicates? More often than not, weary from the effort to prove otherwise, we reconcile ourselves with our label, make the best of it, and comfort ourselves with the knowledge that those who love us most know better. The reality is that if we build and market a Fort Smith casino the rest of the world will think of us as a gambling entertainment destination with a few worthy side attractions like the Marshals Museum. If we later decide we want to overcome that gambling destination label we'll spend a tremendous amount of money and, ultimately, fail. I realize that some folks have no problem with the “gambling destination” label and even consider it a worthy goal. But, in my gut, I feel like that sells Fort Smith short of its potential. My point here is that we better make our peace with the label before we build the casino.

Second, we can restate the premise with which we started – Fort Smith must change or die. I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that’s a brutal fact.

Third, there are many people in the Greater Fort Smith Region who will refuse to change if that change includes a casino/hotel complex in Fort Smith. I have spoken to several Fort Smith citizens – people who would argue that they love Fort Smith as much as anyone – who truly and passionately believe it would be better for Fort Smith to die than become Tunica West. I’m not particularly sympathetic with that point of view but I have to acknowledge it as a strongly held opinion among many people I respect who wield significant influence in Fort Smith. In short, this is a polarizing issue.

Fourth, building a casino/hotel in Fort Smith will cut a deep trench of resentment, alienation and distrust between those who see gambling as reprehensible and those who see it as recreation. Without knowing with certainty how many people stand passionately on either side of the issue there is no way to responsiblly forecast the degree of damage - but there will be damage. I can’t intelligently suggest that we abandon the casino/hotel project because it will be divisive. But make no mistake – it will be very divisive for many years to come. I believe this to be our “stingray” issue. In the words of Steve Irwin, "Danger, danger, danger!"

In light of all this brutal reality, I have tried hard to develop alternatives to Mr. Westphal’s casino complex plan - ideas that can truly transform Fort Smith. With the help of a few friends I've been able to piece together another option and I’ll write about that in part three of this post.

But there is a logic-of-reality limitation here – those ideas are mine rather than Bennie Westphal’s.

The brute force of reality is that although J.D. Williams may have some great ideas, he is not the guy to lead Fort Smith into the future – that guy is named Bennie Westphal. Mr. Westphal is uniquely qualified to lead Fort Smith away from the Tipping Point. Other people whose opinions I deeply respect have arrived at very different conclusions about the casino project. But the reality is that they do not have the influence – personal, political and financial – necessary to lead the horse called Fort Smith to water – let alone make it drink.

Now at this very moment there are some Friends of Fort Smith who are screaming at their computer screens because they believe with all their heart that Mr. Westphal is leading that horse to a poison well. So, let me assure them that if someone comes up with a better idea that can actually change the course of Fort Smith’s economic future - and the person who champions the idea can command the respect and influence necessary to pull it off - I’ll be “all in.” (So to speak)

But all sides now acknowledge that Fort Smith is withering away and is perilously close to the wrong side of the “tipping point.” How do we know that? The Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce paid an internationally respected consulting company a lot of money to evaluate our city and region. What they learned is that Fort Smith is in decline and will soon die if we do not act decisively and urgently to change – and change dramatically. That report was delivered to our community over three years ago. Since then a few organizations have initiated programs that take positive but small steps in the right direction. UAFS and the 188th BRAC reversal are huge success stories but they represent either an expansion or extension of the status quo. The reality is that in the three years since we received the grim prognosis from the Tip Strategies organization, no one - I repeat – no one besides Bennie Westphal has developed and championed a truly a comprehensive plan to boldly and dramatically lead Fort Smith in a new direction. Mr. Westphal is willing to put his own fortune and reputation on the line to see this casino complex become reality. Why? Why would a man who could today retire quite comfortably be willing to risk so much of his personal wealth and suffer the opposition and ostracism of so many fellow citizens and community leaders? Because he believes that a town can die and that Fort Smith, the boyhood home he loves dearly, is on the road to extinction.

Sometimes the logic of words must yield to - not just the logic - but the brute force of reality. In this situation the brutal reality is this: There is no better idea – let alone someone to champion it – for Fort Smith.

So are we really left with this ultimatum? Build a casino or die? I’m not ready to accept that scenario. I do, however, accept the scenario that Fort Smith must change dramatically or die a slow death. And if I can’t come up with a better idea or find a way to make the best of the available options, I’m part of the problem rather than the solution.

In part three of this post, I’ll attempt to be part of the solution.

Ever heard of Don Quixote?