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Issue 6 seeks OK to build first casino
By Marc Kovac
The amendment would allow the construction of a $600 million casino complex in Clinton County.
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters have been asked four times since 1990 whether the state should allow casinos within its borders.
In 1990, 1996 and 2006, a majority of residents who cast ballots voted “no.” The most recent defeat, during the 2006 gubernatorial contest, promised slot machine revenue-backed college scholarships; it failed 43 percent-57 percent.
Enter No. 4, a constitutional amendment that appears on the November general election ballot. It’s Issue 6, the last of five to be determined by voters (with Issue 4 removed at the request of its petitioners).
If approved, the amendment would allow the construction of a $600 million casino complex, located roughly between Columbus and Cincinnati in Clinton County.
Its backers, an out-of-state entertainment company and two Ohio entrepreneurs (with the former holding a controlling interest in the project), say the new development will lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenues for state, county and local governments.
“We think it’s going to help a struggling economy and provide hundreds of millions of dollars [and] sorely needed jobs and revenue needed to help Ohio’s county governments,” said Rick Lertzman, one of the Ohio partners promoting the project.
Its opponents include another out-of-state casino company that operates in neighboring Indiana and a conservative group long opposed to such gambling expansions in Ohio. They are urging “no” votes, based on the wording of the ballot issue and resulting loopholes, and on the social and economic costs posed by increased gambling activities.
“The idea of putting a casino here has been voted on three times in our state and in all cases voted down,” said state Sen. Ron Amstutz, a Republican from Wooster and vocal opponent of the casino project and other gambling expansions. “In those situations, a few people in Ohio would have gotten rich. In this case, a few people out of Ohio in another state would get rich, which is an even a worse idea if you think of it from that perspective.”
The casino is being promoted by Lertzman and Brad Pressman, who formed myohionow.com as part of their efforts; along with Lakes Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO).
According to information compiled by the company online at www.lakesentertainment.com, Lakes “has development and management or financing agreements with four separate tribes for casino operations in Michigan, California and Oklahoma, for a total of five separate casino sites. Lakes is managing the Cimarron Casino for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Four Winds Casino Resort for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. Lakes is also involved in other business activities, including possible development of a company-owned casino resort project in Vicksburg, Miss. ....”
The new casino would be built close to Wilmington in southwestern Ohio, near the intersection of Interstate 71 and state Route 73.
Proponents say the casino will create up to 5,000 jobs with average salaries of $34,000. According to a study by a Michigan group released by Lertzman and Pressman in September, the project would generate more than $1 billion in adjusted gross revenues, including $849.7 million in gaming revenues and $164 million in food and beverage sales.
The capital investment for the facility would top $635 million. And the project, according to proponent arguments compiled by My Ohio Now, would generate $200 million in special tax revenues, most of which would be distributed to Ohio’s counties.
But opponents, including Republican U.S. Sen. and former Ohio Gov. George Voinovich and Ohio Roundtable President David Zanotti, said the social and economic costs far outweigh the potential benefits.
“Encouraging this will be a net negative by not only pulling jobs from other businesses that are in the region but also by pulling money out of people’s pocketbook, many of whom could be better served by investing it in something that would help them for their future a lot more than this would,” Amstutz said.
“They always talk about the money that you’re getting,” Voinovich said recently. “But what about the money that people are spending on gambling that they’re not [spending] on automobile[s] or they’re not buying a vacuum cleaner? Or how about paying their mortgage or their car payment.”
He added, “I really believe that these proposals that we have over the years, including the one that we have before us, are a threat to Ohio’s families. ... It causes a tremendous concern in the community and generates a great deal of social services that have to be provided.”
Zanotti’s group — www.aproundtable.org — also has pointed out loopholes in the ballot issue wording, including one concerning the opening of any future casinos in the state. Under its interpretation, if a tribal casino is able to gain approval to establish operations in Ohio, then My Ohio Now’s tax rate would be reduced to zero.
But Pressman countered that it’s unlikely that a tribal casino will secure the necessary approvals to open in Ohio, and, regardless, the My Ohio Now project would continue to pay taxes in any case.
He also dispelled opponents’ comments that casino profits would go out of state.
“They don’t look at all the facts of the matter,” he said. “They don’t look at an entire business running. They don’t look at business expenses. They don’t look at taxes that we’re going to have to pay as an operating business in the state of Ohio.”
He added, “I mean, the fact of the matter is, in terms of tax rate, this casino will be the highest-taxed business in the state of Ohio. ... The truth is, this is the largest private investment in the entire state of Ohio in the 21st century, and it’s being done without state finances. The state isn’t really putting up any kind of money. The taxpayers don’t have to pay really anything for this investment.”
mkovac@dixcom.com
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Comments
WAKE UP OHIO,Indiana, Michigan, Pa. and W. Virginia don't want us us to take are money away from them, they need our money to pay there property taxes, Vote YES on issue 6 Casino, 5000 JOBS AND TAX MONEY FOR ALL 88 COUNTIES
THE OLDMANGRUMP IS BAD FOR OHIO
You know the same thing has been said about walmart. How can one go wrong building a walmart? The same thing goes for this casino, its just something more to do, if you have a business with employees, you pay taxes. At least the owners are in America.
wrong wrong wrong old man, VOTE YES ON ISSUE 6
FIRST THE OWNER LIVES IN MINNISOTA. 2. DON'T GO IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELF, BUT DON'T TAKE MY FREEDOM AWAY TO CHOOSE. 3. ALL COUNTIES SHARE THE WEALTH OF 30%, BUT NOT LESS THAN 25% IF A SECOND CASINO OPENS. 4. IN THE AMENDMENT IT PROVIDES FOR THE STATE TO CREATE A GAMING BOARD TO OVER SEE THERE ACTIONS. 5.THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY ALL,,,, STATE, LOCAL TAXES, CAT TAX, PROPERTY TAX, SS FICA, WORKERS COMP TAX, AND SALES TAX .....ON TOP OF THE 30%TAX,, THEY WILL BE THE HIGHEST TAXED COMPANY IN THE STATE.
OHIO ELECTION COMMISSION FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE IN ANTI-CASINO ADS
(Columbus, 10/23/08)- The panel of the Ohio Election Commission (“OEC”) found in favor of the MYOHIONOW/ISSUE 6 complaint of false advertising by the Vote No On 6 PAC. The OEC panel found probable cause of false statements on advertisements made on behalf of the Penn National/Argosy Casino funded Vote No On 6 PAC, which no sets the matter for a full hearing.
"We are pleased with the panel's decision of probable cause and look forward to the full hearing. We filed this complaint as we were concerned with the false, misleading and deceptive statements made in the advertising financed by Penn National/Argosy Casino and their financed Vote No on 6 PAC, " said Rick Lertzman who filed this complaint. Mr. Lertzman and Dr. Brad Pressman are co-founders of MyOhioNow who created Issue 6.
The complaint dealt directly with the false, misleading and deceptive ads that have been broadcast to the Ohio voters for the last several weeks as part of a reported $40 million dollar campaign financed by Penn National/Argosy Casino. The passage of the Issue 6 measure would legalize a $600 million resort/casino in Clinton County. The opening of this Ohio casino would take away hundreds of millions of dollars from the Argosy casino which is in Lawrenceburg, Indiana but relies of the Cincinnati/Dayton area for the majority of its business.
" Penn National /Argosy Casino, through their Vote No on 6 PAC, has spread a reported $40 million on television, radio, Internet ads, brochures, and endorsements. They have run a negative campaign against the CEO of Lakes Entertainment, Lyle Berman, who is a honored businessperson who has held gaming licenses for nearly two decades," said Rick Lertzman.
Dr. Pressman continued, "We believe now that we have a probable cause finding by the Ohio Election Commission on this important tax issue, voters will begin to recognize the reported $40 million in deceptive statements by Penn National /Argosy Casino's Vote No on 6."
"There are 10,000 Ohio jobs at stake along with hundreds of millions in revenues to Ohio. Ohio voters must be made aware of the stakes involved in this measure. Its DEAL or NO DEAL. If this passes, Ohio will have nearly 10,000 new jobs and hundreds of millions of tax revenues. If Issue 6 fails, Ohio will continue to have no benefits from the Ohio residents who already gamble, " continued Dr. Pressman.
For More Info: Rick Lertzman 216 926 2661
Dr. brad Pressman 216 780 5965
Source: MyOhioNow.com
MYOHIONOW/BLUE WATER FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST PENN NATIONAL GAMING (ARGOSY CASINO)
(Columbus,Ohio/10/23/08)- My Ohio Now PAC and Blue Water Joint Venture, LLC have filed a Complaint in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas alleging that the "No On 6 Committee" made false and defamatory statements in its advertising campaign to defeat Issue 6 at the polls on November 4.
The Complaint names as defendants both the No On 6 Committee and its funding source, Penn National Gaming, Inc., the parent company of the Argosy family of casinos, which are located throughout the Midwest. The complaint states that Penn National Gaming has a direct and significant financial interest in defeating Issue 6 at the polls.
Stating claims for defamation, deceptive trade practices, and false advertising, the Complaint identifies numerous false and misleading statements used by "No On 6" to deceive voters, including false claims that hundreds of millions of dollars in profits will leave Ohio each year, that the proposed casino may pay no taxes at all, that Issue 6 permits the casino to employ criminals, and that Lyle Berman's business history is littered with wrongdoing. An award, including for punitive damages, is being sought against both the "No On 6 Committee" and Penn National for their shared role in publishing the false and misleading statements in an effort to prevent competition for the Argosy casinos.
The lawsuit follows the positive decision by a panel of the Ohio Election Commission (“OEC”) who found in favor of the MYOHIONOW/ISSUE 6 complaint of false advertising by the Vote No On 6 PAC. The OEC panel found probable cause that the Vote No On 6 PAC violated election laws by making false statements in numerous advertisements. A full hearing is scheduled for on Monday.
The OEC complaint dealt directly with the false, misleading and deceptive ads that have been broadcast to the Ohio voters for the last several weeks as part of a reported $40 million dollar campaign financed by Penn National/Argosy Casino. The passage of the Issue 6 measure would legalize a $600 million resort/casino in Clinton County. The opening of this Ohio casino would take away hundreds of millions of dollars from the Argosy casino which is in Lawrenceburg, Indiana but relies of the Cincinnati/Dayton area for the majority of its business.
We believe that it is time for Penn National/Argosy Casinos to be held accountable for their actions. This may include providing this information to every gaming authority in every state where Penn National holds a gaming license. We are considering in presenting a case whether Penn National meets the ethical standards to hold such gaming licenses," said Rick Lertzman, co-founder of MyOhioNow.com.
For More Info: Rick Lertzman
216 926 2661