The current recession in the the United States has had an adverse impact on the state of Ohios economy, which has in turn led to a discussion on the building of Ohio casinos to pump up revenues. Casinos in states surrounding Ohio including Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Indiana all are patronized by Ohio residents, as gambling is legal in all of these locations. This further establishes a financial motivation to build casinos in Ohio.
The debate surrounding whether or not to build casinos in Ohio has been ongoing for generations, and state residents have repeatedly voted down measures to establish a casino industry in the state. That all changed in November 2009, when Ohio residents overall voted in favor of building casinos in their state. However, while 53% overall voted in favor of the measure, 29 out of Ohio's 88 counties rejected the proposal to build casinos in the Ohio cities of Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, and Cincinnati. This leads to a review of the most cited pros and cons of building casinos in Ohio that are given.
Proponents of building up a gaming industry in Ohio often claim that erecting casinos in the state will lead to job creation in the casinos and the construction industry. In fact, Ohio's Jobs and Growth Committee stated in early 2009 that casinos in Ohio would create thousands of new jobs, billions of dollars in tax revenues, and one billion dollars in private investment for the state. This highlights the strong financial incentives behind pushing for the building of casinos in Ohio.
Those who support building casinos in Ohio also site the positive impact that the gambling venues can have on the businesses that would surround them. As an example, casino customers looking for a good meal and some entertainment in between gambling could patronize local restaurants, sporting venues, and theaters in the area. Some of them may even make their trips to the casinos into mini vacations on occasion. In addition, new shops such as souvenir stores like those in Atlantic City, NJ can start up as a result of the casinos presence.
While building casinos in Ohio does have its group of supporters, those against casino construction in the state also is a sizable group of Ohio residents. These individuals are cynical about claims that casinos will positively impact Ohio's bottom line and add thousands of jobs to the state. They point to areas such as Detroit, Michigan, where gambling is legal.
Detroit is haunted by its weak housing market, high crime, and high unemployment figures. Not a whole lot has changed since casinos made their presence in the troubled city. They did indeed add a couple of thousand jobs to Detroit, and the city's bottom line was enhanced by an increase in tax revenues resulting from legalized gambling. However, most of the casino patrons actually live in Detroit and surrounding areas as opposed to other states and countries, and local businesses such as restaurants have mentioned that the casinos are actually taking business away from them.
In addition to providing examples of how constructing casinos does not necessarily translate into a financial transformation for a region in economic trouble, those opposing building casinos in Ohio also point to the problem of gambling addiction and how it can adversely impact lower-income residents in an area. In some areas where gambling is currently legal, there has been discussion about how a casino's presence can negatively affect lower-income residents who gamble away the little money they have in the hopes of getting lucky and achieving financial success overnight. This can further depress an area already in distress, which is exactly what legislators should want to avoid.
Voters approved the building of casinos in Ohio in November 2009 after decades of voting against the measure. Strong proponents for and against the measure have given various reasons for why or why not they support the casinos. Proponents primarily cite the opportunity for financial growth, while those in opposition provide examples of how cities with legalized gambling have not necessarily turned around as a result of building casinos. The months ahead will only provide more insight as to what the future of building casinos in Ohio will be.
For more information on visiting an Ohio Casino visit our blog.