Western-Star.com

The latest attempt to garner support for a casino in Ohio was met with unabashed disapproval Tuesday, May 6, by Warren County commissioners.

"No other industry basically

produces nothing and takes so much money," Commissioner Dave Young told Jodi Black, a representative of My Ohio Now, an organization attempting to put a casino initiative on the statewide November ballot.

If the vote were to pass, My Ohio Now said it would place the casino in nearby Clinton County

at the intersection of Ohio 73 and I-71.

Black's chief arguments for the casino were that thousands of Ohioans travel outside the state to gamble every year and that casinos provide a safe, enjoyable form of entertainment for seniors.

"Ohio voters have consistently sent a message every time a casino has been on the ballot," Commissioner Pat South said. "I don't think it will be any different this time."

County won't support casino plan

My Ohio Now, which hopes to build a casino in Clinton County if they can get voters' approval in November, rolled a snake eyes in its attempt to win the support of the Warren County Commissioners at a meeting Tuesday.

"They just keep putting [casinos] on the ballot, trying to beat us down," said Commissioner C. Michael Kilburn. "If we [in Warren County] need money, we get it the old fashioned way."

My Ohio Now, a northeastern Ohio company that is backing the casino initiative, plans to build a 2-million square-foot casino and resort in Clinton County if the measure is placed on the November ballot and passes.

Jodi Black, regional director for the group, said that the money raised by the casino would benefit all Ohioans, specifically pointing to a 30 percent gross casino income tax that would be distributed amongst Ohio's 88 counties. According to My Ohio Now projections, such a tax would net Warren County nearly $3 million a year.

"It offends me when you try to bribe us with money that is coming out of senior citizen's hands," said Commissioner Dave Young. Young said casinos produce only a "handful of jobs" and create no good or service for the community.

My Ohio Now said that a casino would bring 5,000 jobs to the area. Black said millions of Ohioans travel to Indiana every year to gamble..

Young said he opposes the casino because of its dangers for people on fixed income or with gambling problems.

"Should people on a fixed income be encouraged to go to casinos?" Young asked. "I could afford to lose, but what about the vast majority of people who can't afford to lose money at a casino and do anyway? Are they going to cap how much a person could lose?"

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.

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