By: Liz Farmer

You may have already seen the well-produced ads by the coalition trying to halt developer David Cordish’s casino project at the Arundel Mills mall.

The first ad (watch it below this post) describes the mall as “a family friendly environment — and a slots parlor just doesn’t belong there.”

In his interview with The Daily Record last week, Cordish said he was definitely getting ready to strike back at his opponents — the Maryland Jockey Club, Stop Slots at the Mall and other citizens groups that are against his casino. The jockey club in particular wants to see slots built at its race track, Laurel Park, which is just down the road from the mall.

Cordish said he has hired political strategist Todd Lamb as his campaign manager and plans to spend on advertising. But he says now — before the primary election — is not the right time. He’s saving his money for the real battle, he says.

“We would have gone to a lot of trouble to say ‘vote yes on ballot A’ and the voter walks in and goes, ‘Where’s ballot A?’ Because that’s only going to be Nov. 2,” he said. “We’re going to start spending our real money [after the primary].”

In one more dig, he noted during his interview that the jockey club’s stance that slots should not be near a mall is “preposterous.” The racing club’s parent, MI Developments Inc., recently did exactly what he proposes to do at the Mills with it’s Florida race track and casino, Gulfstream Park.

“They just opened a mammoth mall right up against — I mean there isn’t one inch — between Gulfstream and their new mall,” Cordish said.