Groups Speak Out Against Casino Gambling Plan In Ohio

There is a proposal on the table for four new casinos in the state of Ohio and groups that may be adversely affected by the plan have begun to speak out in opposition. On Thursday, it was the loopholes in the plan that supposedly upset these groups.

The Ohio Coin Machine Association, Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, Bowling Centers Association of Ohio, and Ohio Licensed Beverage Association all came out on Thursday against the gambling expansion plan. They cited various reasons why casinos would be a bad idea for the state.

"The more I learn about Issue 3, the more convinced I am it is a terrible deal for Ohio," John Mahaney, President of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, "New York casinos pay fifty seven percent of their profits in taxes. In Florida, it is fifty percent, and in Pennsylvania they pay fifty-five percent. The casino plan was clearly written by the casinos, for the casinos."

He may be correct in his assumption that the plan benefits the casinos, but there will also be a tremendous benefit for the state. Over 34,000 jobs would be created if the casino plan came to fruition.

There is little doubt that any casino expansion would hurt the Coin Machine Association. The last thing they need in the state is a casino draing all of their profits. The Council of Retail Merchants would also stand to lose business.

The casinos, however, would be pumping billions of dollars into the economy. There is a required $1 billion investment should the casino developers win the rights to build a casino in one of the four proposed cities.

Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, and Cincinnati are the cities where casinos would be built if the plan was approved in November by voters. Residents of Ohio have turned away casino expansion in the past, but there is evidence that many Ohioans have changed their stance on the issue in recent months.

August 21, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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