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Location, promise of jobs winning combo for casinos

Issue 3 supported in 3 of 4 counties where casinos will operate.

Staff graphic by Ted Pitts Issue 3 results.

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By William Hershey and Laura A. Bischoff
Staff Writers Updated 7:03 AM Thursday, November 5, 2009

COLUMBUS — Location, location, location — and jobs.

That twist on the real estate agent’s motto sums up why Ohio voters approved the four-casino plan on Tuesday, Nov. 3, after rejecting gambling plans four times since 1990.

“I think it was because of the economy,” said Gov. Ted Strickland, an opponent of Issue 3. “These folks came along and they promised jobs and they promised economic growth and I think because of the economy, people desperately wanted to believe that this was an answer to the economic circumstances that prevail right now.”

But there was more to the appeal than the promise of 34,000 jobs, according to another opponent, David Zanotti, Ohio Roundtable president.

Backers strategically placed casinos in the state’s four major population centers — Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo — “where they knew that turnout would be their ally.”

And indeed it was. The issue passed in a landslide in Hamilton and Cuyahoga counties, winning with 67 percent and 65 percent of the vote respectively. It also passed 53-47 in Lucas County, and in many of the surrounding counties. Of the four counties that are promised casinos, only Franklin County rejected the plan.

The results in the four casino counties was 568,400 to 409,489, a difference of 158,911 votes. Statewide, the issue passed by 186,577 votes.

All told, 57 of Ohio’s 88 counties said no to Issue 3. Unfortunately for opponents, not many are urban counties, and in some that are — such as Montgomery County — the vote was close.

In Columbus, Tim Wilmott, president of Penn National Gaming, said he wants to get to work quickly with city leaders to develop a casino “that the city of Columbus can be proud of.”

Penn National will operate the Columbus and Toledo casinos and they will be “Hollywood” casinos like the one in Lawrenceburg, Ind., said Wilmott. He said total investment for the two would be $600 million, more than the $500 million required by Issue 3.

Dan Gilbert, the Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner who will develop the Cleveland and Cincinnati casinos, has projected even more expensive projects — $600 million for Cleveland and $400 million to $450 million for Cincinnati.

The promises of jobs and grand casinos didn’t impress one long-time gambling foe, U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, a former governor and former Cleveland mayor.

“I am terribly disappointed,” Voinovich said in prepared statement. “... there will be a great deal of pain and suffering in Ohio. I feel for the families of those who experience casinos for the first time in their lives and, once lured in, will become addicted to gambling.”

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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All in all, I am for casinos, but here we are with only 4 casinos in what may not be the best locations, for what might have been a cheap price (licenses should have been put up for bid to get the best price), along with a tax rate that will need a Constitutional Amendment to be changed.

Not a good way to do it, so hopefully it will not come back to bite us down the road.

Pete
8:06 PM, 11/5/2009

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Yes, Dayton may have been a better choice. Marietta could have been a good choice to bring in some from the northern part WV, instead of having them and Ohioans going to Wheeling WV. Youngstown would be another good choice, seeing how it is just about a ghost town with no jobs, and may have drawn some from PA and may have kept some Ohioans from going to PA, Mountaineer, or Wheeling.

Pete
8:02 PM, 11/5/2009

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"GAMBLING IS BAD! THESE POOR FAMILIES!"

You mean these poor families who are currently driving to Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan to gamble?

win
10:43 AM, 11/5/2009

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@FreedomWriter I live in Columbus and I couldn't agree with you more! I am glad we are getting a casino. Don't get me wrong but, I do believe Dayton would have been a much better choice. It needs it more economically. It's conveniently located between C'bus and Indy and would have drew from both. Quite frankly, it was the logical choice and I don't really understand how it got overlooked.

Ron
10:22 AM, 11/5/2009

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Knock, Knock. Hello, Dayton here. We sure could of used one of those casinos here if you people would of REALLY listened to the people of the Miami valley. The four MAJOR cities in Ohio. What a croc. Dayton may not be that much of a MAJOR city thanks to our outgoing mayor but we still have a pretty good amount of people throughout the region so why not hear what were saying and locate one here? Perhaps being the Black sheep city of Ohio had something to do with it. We need any kind of jobs here!

FreedomWriter
8:42 AM, 11/5/2009

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