Ohio peeps, Issue 3?
 

I'm pretty annoyed by everything too. Danny Gilbert played an advertisement for it during the Cavs opener this week, which I think is going a little too far.

I don't know. I lean more towards the "no" side of the issue, just because I feel like the major cities in OH (Cleveland especially) have enough issues right now without worrying about the additional problems that come with bringing in casinos. It also doesn't help that the major proponents of the casinos seem to all have some degree of a criminal background.

I'm still at odds. On one hand I know that is they really do hire people from Ohio, we need the job boost. On the other hand, I just haven't read the fine print and I would want to make sure the casinos played by the rules.

All I know is that if I see one more advertisement I'm going to rip it out of the ground and stomp on it (not really but it sure is tempting).

Yes, we do need the jobs, but I feel like people think that this is the solution to all of Ohio's economic woes. That just isn't going to be the case.

Just FYI, the casino in Pgh is apparently laying a giant egg. Then again they don't have roulette, blackjack etc. My advice is either do it the whole way (table games & all) or don't bother.

However, the casino here in Erie, PA (Presque Isle Downs and Casino) is doing very well. While it also doesn't have any table games (which are still illegal in the state), I think it helps that they have a racetrack with a restaurant and bar overlooking it.

I know a few people who work/have worked there, and they say that it's pretty busy on weekends. And weekends when races like the Kentucky Derby take place, it's crazy.

So I guess you never know. But I think a lot of it also has to do with location, location, location!

We're too close to Wheeling (who just added table games). I'm thinking this would affect some Ohio cities as well - call me crazy, but I can just see Youngstown trying to jump all over this.

I will add input from Michigan... Our casinos were helpful to our economy. If there's been an increase in crime from them, the general populous sure isn't aware of them. There has been lots of speculation whether we would have gotten the Super Bowl, All Star Game, etc. without them. We have been bringing in a lot more conventions since the casinos opened. They are full casinos. The areas around them have been thriving with restaurants, etc. And, they bring a lot of revenue to the state. They brought in lots of jobs, not just for casino workers but for construction. All three of them built temporary casinos first and then built permanent ones so the construction went on for years. Of course, we did have one just across the bridge in Windsor, so people had access to one before. If there were going to be gambling addicts, they would have just gone to Windsor. It made sense that they might as well be addicted here and keep the money here instead.

I was on the fence until my neighbor cried out, "it will ruin families". I'm voting for it but because the woman is bat-shit crazy.

I've gotten a lot of recorded messeges aboout Issue 3. Right now, I'm leaning towards voting yes for it. Ohio need jobs right now. the money people spent venuring to places such as Michigan, Pa, West Virginia and Ontario would be better spent here in the state.

I already sent in my absentee ballot and voted yes. I don't go to casinos myself, heck even in Vegas I barely played the slots. I'm hoping that it will be a positive for the state.

We have casinos all over the place here in Washington state, and they can be good or bad. The small card rooms that dot the freeways are annoying, but the big, nice casinos can make for a good night of fun every once in a while. A couple here have fun dance clubs, and my fiance swears one of them has some of the best sushi he's ever eaten. It provides a ton of jobs, both during construction and once open, and it's been very good for the indian tribes here. It also attracts our friendly Canadian neighbors (hello BC drivers!) - especially the one with the hotel and attached premier outlet mall - and some of them offer some good concerts throughout the year.

One thing to note about the WA casinos, though, is that they are on reservations and I'm not sure how much money actually goes to the state. I remember several smear campaigns against Gov. Gregoire because she didn't argue for a bigger cut of the profits. It's one of the larger sources of tribal income around here.

I went in one a few weeks ago to try the food at Tulalip when hitting the outlet mall (casino food in Vegas looks amazing on TV!) and was shocked by the wave of cigarette smoke when we opened the doors. We forgot that they are also immune to several other WA State laws, such as the smoking ban! But that's part of the tribal casino deal, and it sounds like Ohio's isn't about "tribal" vs. "American" soil. They are good for many of the things PeppyGPhiB noted- entertainment venues, food, tourism, jobs...

^^^No, Ohio is not about tribal soil. It is for entertainment and jobs.