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Many in Maryland were disappointed and discouraged by the low number of bids for slot machines, including Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.  Senator Miller was an outspoken supporter of slot machines for the purpose of helping the state meet obligations lift uncertain by a $2 million budget deficit.  Miller was especially annoyed by the failure of companies like Magna Entertainment Inc. and Empire resorts to come up with their license fees. 

“The way this was set up is you got to pay to play, and anybody who didn't put up their initial payment in my opinion is not a significant investor,” said Miller.

“You've got to find someway to reach a happy medium so that we can move forward, and I think the obvious part is that the so-called slot machine monies that we were going to count on in two years, we got to recognize , and start recognizing very soon , that they're not going to materialize,” continued Miller.

Miller encouraged the slot machine commission to “revisit this whole process.”

According to Miller the commission should “look at the other states that have dealt with this issue, including the state of Kansas, where it failed to materialize, as it appeared to have not materialized here in Maryland , and reassess it and move on.”

Both Miller and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley have long been in favor of slot machines operating at state racing venues.

“My position on this in the past was I would have preferred to see them all located at tracks, if I were the one vote that mattered in this, but I wasn't,” said Governor O'Malley.

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