Facing a Thursday deadline to reach a deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florda to legalize Las Vegas-style slot machines and other now-illegal "Class 3" games on tribal lands, Gov. Charlie Crist has scheduled a "major announcement" for Wednesday. "Stay tuned," is all spokeswoman Erin Isaac would say.

"I think it may be the gaming compact," said Senate Democratic leader Steve Geller, D-Cooper City, who spoke by phone with Crist on the topic Tuesday. But Geller emphasized he had no first-hand information.

When it is announced, the compact will likely trigger a new debate on the expansion of gambling in Florida, and embolden the Legislature -- which as part of the deal is expected to have the duty or ratifying or rejecting whatever Crist's team negotiated with the Tribe. During his campaign in 2006, Crist expressed an opposition to expansion of gambling while saying the state also had a duty to negotiate with the tribe under federal law.