TALLAHASSEE -- Despite the promise of thousands of jobs and the millions of dollars spent on lobbying and land buying, the proposal to bring destination resort casinos to Florida faces steep odds when lawmakers take up the landmark proposal during the 60-day legislative session that begins Tuesday.

Senate sponsor Ellyn Bogdanoff last week released a 170-page rewrite of the bill to help take pressure off reluctant lawmakers by including a requirement that any county — including Miami-Dade or Broward — that wants to attract one of three mega resorts must first get voter approval.

To win over supporters of the existing pari-mutuels, the revised bill allows them to operate Las Vegas-style games and receive a lowered tax rate if they compete directly with the new casinos. And across the state, any struggling horse and dog tracks and jai alai frontons would be allowed to ask voters to let them install slot machines.

The bill also attempts to win over gaming opponents. Bogdanoff, a Fort Lauderdale Republican, and the House sponsor, Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, would ban new pari-mutuel permits, regulate or close down “maquinita” establishments that cater to small-bore gamblers and set up a strict new regulatory structure. The state would create a new “Department of Gaming Control” to administer and license the casino resorts and regulate the pari-mutuels and card rooms.

“Our goal is a significant reduction in gaming,’’ Fresen said. “That’s the only shot this bill has.”

There is no guarantee these changes will assuage the critics on Monday when the bill comes up for its first vote in the Senate in a pre-session committee hearing. But the bigger test is in the House, where a conservative Republican majority and a presiding officer whose home territory includes Disney World in Orlando are reluctant to open the door to anything that could harm the state’s family-friendly tourism image.

One thing is certain about the looming legislative debate over gambling: It will be an epic battle in Tallahassee.

BATTLE LINES

The state’s most powerful business and political interests have lined up on both sides — pitting emotional charges of lost quality of life against promises of jobs.

On one side are religious groups, restaurant, tourism and lodging companies, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Orlando’s Disney Company, which are financing lobbyists, consultants, television ads and polls to kill the bill. On the other side are national and international casino resort companies, including Genting Americas, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Corporation, Associated Industries of Florida as well as building trade and construction groups that see the multi-billion construction project as a way to stanch the exodus of skilled workers from South Florida.

On the sidelines is the pari-mutuel industry. It is making demands of legislators, particularly Broward and Miami-Dade Democrats they have supported financially for years. The South Florida racinos argue that they paid a 50-percent tax rate under former Gov. Jeb Bush for the privilege of operating slot machines and now say they won’t pay the $100 million investment required to get casino games under Bogdanoff’s bill.

Across the political spectrum, powerful business and political leaders, from Miami auto magnate Norman Braman to former U.S. Senator and Gov. Bob Graham, are urging legislators to vote against the casino bill as bad for the state.