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Ohio: Penn National Gaming

June 1, 2009 - 01:24 pm
NEWS FEED: Columbus Dispatch

Thomas Suddes: Easy money from slots could prove enticing to legislators

By Thomas Suddes

Example: The slot machine fight. Contrary to folklore, that's no more about morals than is personal marijuana use (de facto legal in Ohio) and, among consenting adults, anything-goes sexual conduct (legal in Ohio since the mid-1970s).

The slots fight is really over (1) who gets richer, thanks to General Assembly decisions and (2) whether schools, if slots became legal, ever again could pass property-tax levies. Schools can't want levies to become harder to pass. And levies aren't going away. But legalizing slots might make levies a tougher sell - as the Ohio Lottery might have done.

As everyone "knows," the Ohio Lottery was "supposed to take care of" schools.

Read More at Columbus Dispatch >
There have been 39 comments posted in response to this story.

March 19, 2009 - 04:08 am
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Gov. Ted Strickland slams latest gambling plan, says pulling state out of fiscal troubles on backs of gamblers is not right for Ohio

By Reginald Fields

"Every proposal that has been brought forth I think has been designed to enrich the promoters and give a modest or, even in some cases, a meager share of resources to the state or individual localities," Strickland told The Plain Dealer on Wednesday.

And this proposal is no different, he said, noting that voters rejected a similar casino plan for southwest Ohio in November. The newest plan calls for Ohio to collect a 33 percent tax on revenue taken in by four casinos -- in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo -- and spells out how the state will divide its share. Ohio would also collect a $50 million one-time licensing fee per location.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 26 comments posted in response to this story.

March 11, 2009 - 11:58 pm
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Casino proposal has Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert among lead investors

By Reginald Fields

Casino numbers

Four full-service casinos in Ohio's largest cities -- Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo

$1 billion in private investment ($250 million for each)

$200 million in state licensing fees ($50 million for each) to be used for job training and workforce development.

20,000 jobs, including construction and casino positions.

402,275 signatures of registered Ohio voters must be filed by July 1 to get the issue on the November ballot.

COLUMBUS -- A full-fledged, Las Vegas-style casino would be built in Cleveland, possibly near Tower City or along the river in the Flats, under a plan announced Wednesday that would need voter approval.

The plan would also place similarly styled casinos, with restaurants and hotels attached, in Ohio's three other largest cities -- Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.

February 27, 2009 - 02:26 pm
NEWS FEED: Glass City Jungle

Gambling ballot issue again to be tried, this time including Toledo

If first you don’t succeed? Try, try, try again appears to be the motto when it is related to trying to make gambling legal in Ohio. This time Toledo is included as part of the plan. Gaming groups, Cavs owner propose casinos in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo.

The proposal, which could be announced next month and would have to be approved by voters in November, would feature four full-fledged casinos including one in Cleveland each with attached hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants, sources have told the paper.

Other locations would be in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Each casino could have up to 5,000 slot machines and more than 100 tables for blackjack, craps, poker and more.

Read More at Glass City Jungle >
There have been 26 comments posted in response to this story.

February 26, 2009 - 01:01 pm
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Gaming groups, Cavs owner propose casinos in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo

By Reginald Fields

Ohio would go from having no casinos to being a major player in the gambling industry under a plan being considered by an unlikely quartet of business interests, including Cavaliers basketball owner Dan Gilbert, The Plain Dealer has learned.

The proposal, which could be announced next month and would have to be approved by voters in November, would feature four full-fledged casinos including one in Cleveland each with attached hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants, sources have told the paper.

Other locations would be in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Each casino could have up to 5,000 slot machines and more than 100 tables for blackjack, craps, poker and more.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 26 comments posted in response to this story.

February 25, 2009 - 02:02 pm
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Dan Gilbert, Jeff Jacobs and rival casino groups join for new Ohio ballot proposal

By Reginald Fields

CLEVELAND — Two rival casino groups are teaming up to back a plan that would bring four full-fledged casinos to Ohio, destination spots complete with hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants, The Plain Dealer has learned.

The group backing the plan -- led by Penn National Gaming and My Ohio Now-- would also include Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Cleveland businessman Jeff Jacobs, sources have told the paper.

The group is gearing up to start collecting signatures to get an initiative on this November's ballot. The ballot language would first have to be approved the state attorney general's office.

One casino would be in Cleveland, though not in the Flats area where Jacobs owns property, the sources said.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.