With the opening of the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore City, Cecil County is now receiving its full share of local development impact funds generated by casino revenues.

As reported by the Cecil Whig,

When the Maryland General Assembly passed slots legislation in a 2007 special session, a provision in the bill diverted 18 percent of local development impact funds from all slots locations, including Cecil County, to Baltimore City and Prince George’s County for 15 years.

However, because of another amendment added to slots legislation by Delegate David Rudolph (D-Cecil) during a 2012 special session, the law was changed to return the 18 percent back to Cecil, Allegany and Worcester counties once a casino opened in Baltimore City.

Craig Whiteford, Cecil County Budget Director, has indicated that the additional revenue has already been factored into county’s budget.

Whiteford said the county’s share in Fiscal Year 2014 that ended June 30 would have been $713,702 higher if the 18 percent was not being deducted. He projects that number, based on current revenues generated at Hollywood Casino Perryville to be about $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2015.

“This is not extra money for the county budget,” Whiteford cautions. That’s because the county finance department has already built these projections into their budget.