Wednesday, August 24, 2005

 

Casino Study

Interesting article today about gambling in Ohio. A new study indicates $4 Billion in revenue and $610 Million in tax revenue. Downside is 100,000 new problem gamblers (isn't it only a problem if you lose :), costing $29.7 million. In my head those numbers work. If the entire parking lot at Argosy wasn't filled with Ohio License plates each time I go, I might buy the argument that casinos promote 'riff-raff' (as they are often referred). But based on the license plates, I'd say the 'riff-raff' already live next door to you.... so you might as well collect some tax dollars from them and build new roads, bike trails, etc.

Here's an idea... Main St in OTR is struggling to tread water, mostly due to crime issues. So, I suggest slapping a casino at Broadway Commons (a baseball stadium would have been better, but that fight is over). If there is one thing casinos care about it's making sure money travels to and from the casino safely. If you put that cash cow at Broadway, you'd have an immediate high traffic area, well lit, and I'm sure the casino would pitch in for some extra police on the street. Result? You'd have a place people can safely go, and lots of foot traffic for the bars/restaurants in the area. Now I am sure there are some residents in Pendleton that wouldn't want a casino on their doorstep, but begger's can't be choosers... so if you want the crime/drugs out, a casino would get that job done.

Comments:
According to those figures, the average gambling addict carries a cost of $297.

Hard to believe, considering similar studies that have been done in other states show the eventual downstream cost to be comparable to, and sometimes even in excess of, the revenue gains.

Here's an idea: how about, instead of enterprises that (a) are copied from Indiana, and (b) don't create a product or service, we come up with something new that THEY will want to copy?
 
Westender stole my thunder. $300 per addicted gambler is ridiculously low, probably by a factor of 10.

Tom Blumer
BizzyBlog
 
$297 is the cost per trip. Let's promote social irresponsibility and try to profit from it. The people that loose their homes and the children that go hungry are just collateral damage and we have social service organizations to deal with them. Addictions carry a high price as anyone that has ever lived with an addict can attest. The real costs cannot have a value placed on them.

Gambling is new to this area and therefore attractive to those led to believe it will generate revenue for the tax coffers. This would be true if we were in Las Vegas where gamblers arrive from somewhere else, spend their money, and go away. That is not the case here and we will find more problems than we solve. However, some will prosper. At the casinos someone always wins.

The casino about 85% of the time.
 
Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?