Cleveland
Group Accepts Casino Resolution
During the quarterly
meeting of the Greater Cleveland Partnership
Board of Directors, a resolution was accepted
that will engage GCP leadership in further exploration
of legalized casino gaming in Ohio. GCP will
undertake the building of a statewide coalition
among metropolitan regions and public officials
to develop the components of a constitutional
amendment to permit casino gaming in Ohio based
on guidelines approved yesterday. The second
phase of the plan requires a review of the outcome
of the first phase and a vote by the board on
whether to endorse a specific constitutional
amendment that would legalize casinos.
GCP and several Cincinnati businesses
recently released the results of two studies
that were commissioned to examine the potential
economic impact and social costs of legalized
casino gaming in Ohio. Upon reviewing the results
of the study, members of the GCP Board of Directors
voted to approve a two- phased plan for advancing
casino gaming in Ohio.
"Armed with the facts, Cleveland's private
sector leaders are prepared to begin the process
of participating in the public debate and shaping
a gaming policy for Ohio," said Alexander
M. Cutler, Chairman of the GCP Board of Directors.
"While casino gaming is not the answer
to everything that ails Ohio, an examination
of the studies makes it clear that Ohio gaming
dollars are being spent in neighboring states,
while problem gamblers who live in our communities
are chronically underserved by limited state
funding for treatment. A satisfactory gaming
proposal would capture the Ohio dollars that
leave our state, while also taking significantly
increased care of our citizens who already suffer
from gambling addictions."
According to the resolution, the continued
participation of GCP in the first phase would
be conditional on the formation of a proposed
constitutional amendment that includes these
key principles:
1. New tax revenues derived from gaming in
Ohio must be competitively optimized and benefits
shared between all residents of Ohio and the
local communities eventually chosen for gaming
locations. Such revenues should not be used
to replace or reduce current State funding provided
to local governments. Local revenues must be
invested in job creation and economic development
strategies developed by local public and civic
leadership in areas such as tourism and business
development.
2. Clear criteria for selecting final casino
locations must be identified that closely mirror
those identified in the GCP gaming study. Using
these criteria, the geographic locations (not
site specific) of casinos should be identified.
3. A significant portion of the new gaming
revenues must be budgeted for education/prevention/treatment
of existing and future problem and pathological
gamblers in the state.
4. An acceptable governance model for casino
gaming is created. Licensing fees are estimated
and proceeds earmarked to state and local economic
development entities and strategies.
5. Acceptable ways of addressing high priority
local concerns, including input on ownership
of casinos, specific locations of casinos, and
strategies for minimizing degree and duration
of local product substitution while maximizing
opportunities for small business.
The second phase described by the resolution
states:
If and when (expected by the end of calendar
year, 2005) a true statewide coalition of business
and private sector leadership in Ohio reaches
a consensus that incorporates the above principles,
the GCP Board will reconsider its full endorsement
of casino gaming. This will provide the GCP
Board with the opportunity to evaluate the coalition's
final consensus before finally endorsing a campaign
for a constitutional amendment to permit casino
gaming on the November 2006 ballot. If the coalition
is unable to develop a consensus within this
timeframe, then the practical likelihood of
a successful campaign would not exist and future
activity or support would become moot and possibly
counter-productive to advancing other GCP priorities.
"Gaming options already loom in Columbus
and they might not be in the best interest of
our state," said Joe Roman, CEO and President
of GCP. "It is clear that the debate on
gaming will happen in Ohio, and there will likely
be a proposal before the voters within the next
year. We don't want Ohioans to be forced to
choose between two bad options when, by following
our guiding principles, it is possible to institute
gaming regulations that benefit both Ohio and
its residents. By bringing a rational set of
principles to the inevitable discussion, we
have the potential to help ensure that gaming
revenues generated by the state are used to
advance economic development in areas such as
higher education, business development and tourism."
The studies used by the GCP Board of Directors
represent the most comprehensive analysis of
the gaming issue undertaken in more than a decade.
They were conducted by researchers at Strategic
Partner Management Consulting and the Maxine
Levin Goodman College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland
State University and are available at http://www.ohiogaminginfo.org.
The Greater Cleveland Partnership, the primary
voice for businesses in Greater Cleveland, seeks
to create jobs and wealth, and improve the economic
vitality of the region. Its priorities include
technology, innovation and high-growth businesses;
connected physical development; education and
workforce development; and business attraction,
retention and expansion. The GCP emphasizes
service to its more than 16,400 members; advocacy
on behalf of members and the region; diversity
and inclusion; and internationalization of the
region and its businesses. http://www.gcpartnership.com
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