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Feb
25
In any other world, wouldn’t they just be recalcitrant incorrigibles who don’t understand the meaning of “No”?
The group backing the plan — led by Penn National Gaming and My Ohio Now– would also include Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Cleveland businessman Jeff Jacobs, sources have told the paper.
…
One casino would be in Cleveland, though not in the Flats area where Jacobs owns property, the sources said. The other locations would be in Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo — all urban centers.
No racinos this time, though.
The article uses the word “desperate” to describe Ohio’s leaders and their relationship to revenue schemes (Bernie Madoff would see them as an easy target too I suppose), but any leader who wants to tell us that casinos are the answer, long-term or short-term, – especially after President Obama’s speech last night which emphasized sacrifice – has failed to either do the research or pay attention to the evidence all around us as to the unacceptable drain that hope in gambling brings to a region (see Detroit, Las Vegas and Atlantic City for starters).
Don’t do it. Do not do it.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:12 pm February 25th, 2009 in casinos, Economy, Gambling, Ohio, Politics, Social Issues, Ted Strickland
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14 Responses to “Like vultures smelling blood: Casino proponents circle Ohio – again”
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Jill, that’s a brilliant way to characterize the casino proponents–equating them with Bernie Madoff. How appropriate.
Well – I wouldn’t overdo it, but the fact is, the Ohio leaders have set themselves up to be seen as desperate and we can see what kind of opportunists that attracts. That’s all I’m saying.
Easy money. That’s what both gamblers and casinos covet and I hope that the State will refuse to the same.
I’m proud to support casinos in Ohio. The dollars which could be spent in Cincinnati are spent in Indiana.
Jill – do you think they will ever give up or just keep asking until they wear the voters down?
“No racinos this time, though.”
That’s surprising, considering the involvement of Penn National, which owns Raceway Park, and Mr. Jacobs, who has a substantial interest in Mountaineer Gaming which owns Scioto Downs.
“…any leader who wants to tell us that casinos are the answer…”
You’re right, Jill, that casinos are not the answer. Casinos in Ohio would stop much of the flow of money from Ohio to its more tolerant neighbors, which would be a small net positive, but they wouldn’t be some kind of economic panacea.
“…the unacceptable drain that hope in gambling brings to a region (see Detroit, Las Vegas and Atlantic City for starters).
Detroit and Atlantic City were on the decline before Michigan and New Jersey legalized gaming. I’ve seen no evidence that they’re any worse off than they would be without casinos.
Las Vegas had a population of 5,165 in 1930. Since Nevada legalized casinos in 1931, Las Vegas has grown to nearly half a million people. That’s not exactly what I would call a “drain.”
Americaneer – thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Interesting site you have – I confess, I’m not sure – are you in real estate or travel or both?
Holly – I think that’s a very weak argument for supporting an industry that forever takes more from the people than it gives back, and is designed to be that way.
@Jason in #5 – Who knows? I’m appalled and embarrassed by the greed that drives the proponents. Are they any better than the Wall St investment brokers, bankers or mortgage dealers? How is the gambling industry more acceptable than Ponzi schemes or the subprime brokerage business?
Anyway – that’s how I see it.
@Jason in #6:
Hi Jason.
Hope your family and you are well.
I think you need to revisit the news out of Nevada and Vegas – their foreclosure rate is either the highest or one of the highest in the country. I have friends who just moved back here and haven’t been able to sell their home – I’ve been there, in Henderson.
Someone else blogged about a Henderson bank – it’s a suburb of Vegas – just went under (in addition to others that have closed). My understanding is that Nevada and VEgas in particular are do remarkably worse than much of the country.
I’m not sure that saying that Atlantic City was on the decline before gambling was legalized does anything for the pro-casino argument – gambling has been legal there for decades, right? So are you saying that the entire state of NJ has been in decline for decades? I’m not sure that’s accurate – is it?
“Hope your family and you are well.”
Thanks, Jill. We are. I hope all is well with you and your family, too.
“…their foreclosure rate is either the highest or one of the highest in the country.”
It’s the highest. However, I’ve seen no evidence that this is the fault of the gaming industry.
“…gambling has been legal there for decades, right?”
Yes, since 1976.
“So are you saying that the entire state of NJ has been in decline for decades?”
No, and I’m not sure how my previous comment could have been read that way. However, Atlantic City isn’t the only example of urban decay in New Jersey. Is A.C. really any worse off than Camden, Trenton, or Paterson?
Jason, you know I love our banter, but you honestly believe that the gaming industry has no causal connection to the foreclosure rate in Las Vegas? I’ll see what I can dig up – maybe you are right, but I would like to see some writing on it. I have an extremely difficult time believing that there is zero correlation.
The reason I asked you if you were saying that NJ has been in decline for decades is because of what you wrote:
“Detroit and Atlantic City were on the decline before Michigan and New Jersey legalized gaming. I’ve seen no evidence that they’re any worse off than they would be without casinos.”
When I read that, I read it to say that Atlantic City, which is in New Jersey, was on the decline before the state legalized gaming. My statement in the prior comment should have been, “So are you saying that Atlantic City has been in decline for decades?” and then added that it would then be an excellent example for me to point to of a situation in which gaming did nothing to alleviate on any long-term basis that decline, since, as you seem to be implying, AC has been declining for decades and continues to decline.
Which leaves me where I was before – what exactly is the point you’re trying to make here:
“Detroit and Atlantic City were on the decline before Michigan and New Jersey legalized gaming. I’ve seen no evidence that they’re any worse off than they would be without casinos.”
My point is that legalizing gaming doesn’t help and that’s what, in large part, is being sold to us. None of the three cities you name have the coast, Jason – that makes them different species completely, in my mind. Camden and Trenton rise and fall in part based on Philadelphia, and Paterson is almost a satellite city of NYC. I really would not compare any of them to Atlantic City (just a biographical note: my mother grew up in Teaneck, my dad worked in Tenafly, and as a kid, we traveled to N. Jersey or NYC where my grandparents lived almost every other weekend but I actually didn’t get to Atlantic City until I was in college.) My point being – these communities are by nature dramatically different, IMO.
“…you honestly believe that the gaming industry has no causal connection to the foreclosure rate in Las Vegas?”
Certainly, much of the current economic suffering is a result of a recent downturn in the gambling business, but that’s not the same as saying that the gaming industry is to blame.
Here’s a document from the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada that seems to link the foreclosure crisis and other problems to a regressive tax structure.
I apologize for not addressing the rest of what you said. I’ll try to address it this evening.
Shalom Jill:
I am not a real estate agent but I know a little about it. My hobby is photojournalism. Its encouraging to note that you found my site interesting. Taking advantage of distressed conditions occurs in business and personal scenarios more often than we all realize. Examples of this are vultures smelling blood, casino proponents seeing an opportunity because of the economic conditions.