Casino foes vow to continue fight

Nov 05, 2009 (The Columbus Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- PENN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Developers of a Columbus casino approved in Tuesday's election pledged yesterday to win over skeptics with a first-class facility, even as calls increased for another ballot issue next year to "fix" the proposal.

Executives of Penn National Gaming met with reporters at the Arena District site where the Columbus casino is planned by the end of 2012. The gambling officials promised to work closely with local leaders to build it.

The officials acknowledged that Issue 3, which authorized casinos in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo, was approved statewide despite the strong opposition of voters in Columbus and Franklin County.

"We're going to earn back that support," Senior Vice President Eric Schippers said. "We're going to be able to address all of the fear that was spread by the opponents in this."

But opponents are proposing a new ballot issue in May that would address what they see as the weaknesses of Issue 3: a too-low tax rate and licensure fee; the fact that only two developers have sole authority to build the casinos; and that local communities have no say over where or whether they are built.

Community leaders also have suggested an amendment that would block casinos from any areas that did not vote for one, such as Franklin County.

House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, is open to the idea, a spokesman said, while Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, will give it "serious consideration," a spokeswoman said.

Gov. Ted Strickland suggested that he would be reluctant to tinker with the will of the people.

"I find it a disappointing result, but I also respect the fact that elections have consequences, and the people were strongly supportive of this effort," Strickland told The Dispatch. "I think it's a little soon -- at least it is for me -- to be thinking about how to significantly undo or change something that the people have so recently voted in support of."

Even so, Strickland said he found it "personally disturbing" that a casino was approved for Columbus even though local voters rejected it.

Final, unofficial totals show that 55 percent of Columbus voters opposed Issue 3, as did 58 percent of voters in the county overall. It passed with 53 percent support statewide.

Schippers and Penn National President Tim Wilmott attributed the opposition to "myths" raised during the campaign and said the company will "move heaven and Earth to make this a successful project and address any and all concerns that people have in this community."

The next step is for lawmakers to pass implementing language for the casinos, including a new state casino control commission. That process is expected to take about six months.

In Columbus, city officials yesterday were sorting out what role -- if any -- they will have in a casino development.

City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. said the amendment is unclear about cities' ability to regulate casinos. It says local laws can't prohibit development or operation, but it doesn't specify what type of regulations would fall into that category.

Mayor Michael B. Coleman voted against the casinos, but spokesman Dan Williamson said the Democrat has no plans to seek a repeal or exemption for Columbus.

"As I understand it, that is now in the state constitution," Williamson said. "The pro-casino group was successful."

Rex Elsass, Columbus-based media consultant for Issue 3 proponents, said any suggestion that Columbus should be able to opt out of a casino is an "absurd" attempt to thwart the will of the voters.

"Columbus is part of Ohio and this was a statewide ballot initiative," Elsass said. "We're amending the state constitution. That was clear to all voters. I would hope that Franklin County isn't going to secede from the state of Ohio."

Franklin County Commissioner John O'Grady said he would need to look at specifics of a proposed new amendment, but "Any proposal that the legislature would make would be better than the current environment we have."

Commissioners Marilyn Brown and Paula Brooks could not be reached.

Franklin County lawmakers are divided over whether the legislature should attempt to alter Issue 3.

"There is no question in my mind the legislature needs to take action," said Rep. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City. "If we are going to have casinos, what was approved (Tuesday) does not benefit the people of Ohio. It benefits the owners who wrote it."

Sen. David Goodman, R-New Albany, said voters in Cuyahoga and Hamilton counties essentially decided to build a casino in Columbus. He said he'd like to see a new constitutional amendment to include local-control provisions "as soon as possible."

But Rep. W. Carlton Weddington, D-Columbus, who supported Issue 3, said the people of Ohio have spoken.

"I don't think the legislature should go back with another amendment," he said. "I think we should watch with a careful eye and make sure all aspects of this issue are implemented and we have accountability."

State Rep. Tracy Heard, D-Columbus, said she is uncertain about the next move.

Meanwhile, officials in Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky reacted negatively to the potential gambling competition from Ohio.

Indiana and Michigan are concerned about losing revenue, and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said his state "can't afford to wait any longer" to approve expanded gambling.

Dispatch Senior Editor Joe Hallett, reporters Jim Siegel, Robert Vitale and Barbara Carmen and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

mniquette@dispatch.com

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