Legislation that could have allowed voters to decide whether Atlanta gets casinos has died an untimely Crossover Day death.

Earlier this week, Georgia House Speaker David Ralston postponed HR 807 and HB 677, two bills that could clear the way in the state's constitution for two casinos in metro Atlanta — as well as earmark new funding for the HOPE scholarship — according to the AJC. Whether or not politicians will exhume the legislation next session is to be determined.

In the meantime, you can go listen to a group of folks discuss the pros and cons of what a gambling resort (or two) in metro Atlanta could mean for surrounding real estate — a different take than the usual social and moral debate. Speakers at the March 15 event include the president of the MGM National Harbor Casino and Resort and two economics professors. They plan to discuss the ways in which a resort casino could change Atlanta's landscape, including the effects on existing commercial real estate, mixed-use residential, and nearby vacant land.

Speaking of vacant land, some have speculated whether The Gulch (that sprawling slab of concrete and railroad tracks between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Spring Street) could be a potential casino site, per the AJC. But for now, it shall remain a sprawling slab of concrete and railroad tracks.