NEWS
Ohio voters authorize casino gambling
Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009 6:41 PM
Ohio voters on Tuesday passed a referendum that would allow casinos in four cities.
Citizens voted to amend the Ohio constitution that authorizes one gaming facility each in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, and in Cincinnati, which is across the river from Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky. The approval authorizes casino gaming for the first time in Ohio.
The measure was primarily backed by Rock Ohio Ventures, a group led by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Penn Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming Inc.
Minneapolis-based Lakes Entertainment Inc. announced on Wednesday that it had entered a deal with Gilbert for up to 10% ownership of his planned casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. Lakes also forged a similar deal with Penn National Gaming for 10% share in Penn National's planned casinos in Columbus and Toledo.
Both Gilbert and Penn National have said the casinos would be up and running within three years.
News of the approved measure alarmed Kentucky’s horse industry as well as the state’s governor, Steve Beshear, who wants a slots bill by this winter.
“Clearly the time to act on expanded gaming is now,” Beshear said in a statement, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. “Ohio citizens are going to reap the benefits of thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue. Ohio’s decision reinforces the urgency to pass the video lottery terminal bill I proposed earlier this year.”
