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This story was updated Friday, Feb. 26, 2010.

Tamika Walker, manager of a WhiteScience teeth-whitening business at Arundel Mills mall, likes the prospect of having a $320 million video slots parlor near her shop. The gambling facility, proposed to open late next year, will likely drive significantly more foot traffic into the mall, and with it potential customers who want to brighten their smiles, she said.

"People are going to gamble somewhere, whether they go to Delaware, Pennsylvania or another state," said Walker, who opened her business at the Hanover mall in July. "Maryland might as well get some financial benefits from it."

But many businesses at Arundel Mills, which include entertainment venues such as Medieval Times, Cinemark Egyptian 24 Theaters and Dave & Buster's, say they aren't taking a side in this heated battle over slots.

"We're thrilled to have a Lego Store in the Arundel Mills mall and can only comment in relation to our store and activities in the mall," said Julie Stern, spokeswoman for Lego Systems, the North American division of the Danish building toy manufacturer.

Steven Restivo, a spokesman for Wal-Mart Stores, which has a store near the proposed casino location just outside Arundel Mills, declined to comment, though he said company executives could have something to say as the project develops. Wal-Mart has locations close to casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., and Mays Landing, N.J., he said.

Arundel Mills itself supports the slots project.

"Arundel Mills is already one of the top tourist attractions in the state, and like all attractions, we must continuously evolve to remain fresh and economically viable," Gene Condon, vice president and general manager of the mall, said in a statement supplied by a spokeswoman. "There is a proven synergy between gaming, retail, entertainment and dining, with successful locations combining all of these elements in numerous locations across the United States. Adding a high-quality gaming, dining and entertainment facility ensures the future of Arundel Mills as the shopping and entertainment destination of choice in Maryland and as a successful economic engine for Anne Arundel County and Maryland for years to come."

Petitioners seek vote

Businesses may be sidestepping the issue for fear of alienating customers who might vote on it in November.

Thousands of nearby residents who say the project will result in too much traffic and other ills have signed a petition to put the issue to Anne Arundel County voters. The petition drive is aided by the Maryland Jockey Club, which operates the Laurel Park horse-racing track, which track officials say is a more appropriate site for the county's slots facility.

Magna Entertainment, which owns Laurel Park, applied for a slots license there last year but was rejected because it didn't pay the required $28.5 million license fee; the company then appealed that rejection to the state. Magna, of Aurora, Ontario, filed last year for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Meanwhile, this week executives with PPE Casino Resorts Maryland LLC, which is affiliated with Baltimore developer Cordish Cos. and won the Arundel Mills slots license, filed a lawsuit in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. The lawsuit claims the county's Board of Elections overlooked alleged fraud in the petition drive and requests an injunction for the board to investigate the fraud claims and take appropriate action.

County election officials have denied the claim, saying they have thrown out about half the signatures. Through Tuesday, the board had accepted 13,136 of the almost 30,000 signatures submitted. The campaign needs 18,790 valid signatures by March 8 for the issue to go to voters.

PPE won Anne Arundel County's lone slots license to build a casino on what is now a parking lot on the west side of Arundel Mills, a few miles north of Laurel Park. Neither a PPE nor a Cordish representative could be reached for comment.

David Cordish, chairman of the Cordish Cos., said in an e-mail that businesses at the mall are "extremely supportive" of the casino, which will have its own separate building. He said he believes the lawsuit would nullify the petition drive, and the project was proceeding as planned.

The Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office has referred the fraud allegations to the Office of the State Prosecutor.

Under state law, no county can have more than one slots parlor, said Donald C. Fry, chairman of the state's Video Lottery Facility Location Commission, which rules on video slots applications. State voters would need to approve any changes, he said.

The commission has approved two other licenses, one for 1,500 slots in Perryville and another for 800 machines at Ocean Downs Racetrack in Berlin. Both facilities are expected to open this year, said Fry, also president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee.

The proposed 4,750-slots facility at Arundel Mills is anticipated to generate annual gross revenue of $501 million when in stable operation by 2016, according to documents from the lottery facility commission. Besides a 200,000-square-foot casino, plans call for a 4,500-car parking garage and some upscale restaurants between the mall and slots facility.

More gambling bills

Legislators have filed more bills related to slots and gambling, including some that could allow table games such as poker, craps, blackjack and roulette.

Del. Frank S. Turner (D-Dist. 13) of Columbia is sponsoring legislation that would let voters decide whether to change the state constitution to allow such gambling at licensed slots venues. A hearing on that bill is slated for March 18 in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Other bills scheduled to be heard at the same meeting deal with altering the number of slots allowed at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport, changing the number of casinos allowed throughout Maryland and allowing organizations in Prince George's County to host poker events.

In a letter to state political leaders this month, Fry noted that facilities with table games are opening in states such as Delaware and West Virginia. "The Governor and the General Assembly may wish to consider whether legislative approval of table games, subject to voter approval, is warranted," he wrote.