A proposed bingo hall in a Wildwood shopping center has stirred controversy in the city.
Michael Salerno filed an application for a bingo hall, but later pulled that application, instead filing an application for a “hall for hire.”
The hall for hire would provide a 300-seat venue for churches or charitable groups to run their bingo games.
The Rev. Daniel Parker of Wildwood Assembly of God spoke out against the idea at Monday’s Wildwood Commission meeting.
“The wider we open the door, the more junk we allow in,” Parker said.
The city has no reason to reject the application for the hall for hire, commissioners admitted.
The city also has no ordinance governing bingo.
“I don’t think we can reject the hall for hire just because we know Mr. Salerno wants to run a bingo hall. The next guy could come in and we would not know,” said Mayor Ed Wolf. “We’re pretty much tied in knots.”
He added that he doesn’t want to see Wildwood become “the bingo capitol of central Florida.”
For five years, Salerno operated a bingo hall in Leesburg. But that city recently adopted a more restrictive ordinance governing bingo.
Thus, Salerno is looking for a new venue.
Salerno has retained the services of South Florida attorney Michael Wolf (no relation to the mayor) who has represented gaming and arcade interests around the state.
Commissioner Robby Strickland made no secret of his opposition to the idea. He said he would like to see Wildwood adopt strict restrictions on bingo halls.
“I would say start with Leesburg’s ordinance and go from that,” he said.
