Underground Alt. operator proposes gutting complex

    The operator of Underground Atlanta has proposed
a plan to the Georgia Lottery Board for a casino that would fund
the HOPE scholarship and also provide millions of tax dollars for
the city.

    Developer Dan O’Leary outlined a $450 million proposal that
would gut and redevelop Underground, adding upscale restaurants and
retailers and a 29-story hotel to the downtown entertainment
complex.

    State law prohibits Las Vegas-style casinos with card games, but
the lottery’s charter does not expressly prohibit video lottery
terminals. There have been previous calls for casinos in Georgia,
none of which have come to fruition.