“MyOhioNow” Summary persuasive case (SIMILE)

Introduction – 1 of 2 Clip: What Happens in Vegas Remarkable, isn’t it? 5,000 people move INTO Las Vegas monthly Last year, 52 million visitors 153,000 hotel rooms McCarren the 8 th busiest airport in world More than 35 wedding chapels 152,000 slot machines, and 7,200 tables

Introduction – 2 of 2 There’s no doubt: people love their entertainment ! But the reality is, in Ohio, we don’t have miles and miles of empty desert. And empty desert was what you’d find around the one-horse town called Las Vegas, just 50 years ago

Need 1 of 4 No, what we have is farmland and Empty factories Poverty Illness Old age and Dispair

Need 2 of 4 What needs to happen to turn our communities around? A statewide commitment to education A statewide focus on creating 21 st century jobs And more All these take money, political will and time

Need 3 of 4 And while we work on our basic infrastructure, Ohioans still look for their entertainment Las Vegas Cancun Mountaineer Park Niagra Falls Elizabeth, Indiana

Need 4 of 4 Trouble is, it all leaves the state ! $ xxx,xxx,xxx to Las Vegas $ xxx,xxx,xxx to New York $ xxx,xxx,xxx to West Virginia $ xx,xxx,xxx to Indiana And the numbers are increasing !! Graph of entertainment outflow, 1988 – 2008 Graph of projections,

Plan 1 of 3 So, what can we do? You know the saying, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em !” What we do is build a casino complex somewhere in central Ohio Ohioans voted against regular casino gaming, so we can’t do that. Ohioans voted against riverboat gaming, too

Plan 2 of 3 But this time we’ll offer a Constitutional Amendment to create one casino in Clinton County, near Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati. It’ll be a world-class entertainment complex: 95 acres; 200,000 sf of casino floor space 5,000 slot machines and 150 table games, including blackjack, roulette and craps Luxury hotel with 1,500 rooms (Mountaineer has 350) Restaurants, golf course, 2,500-seat multi-use entertainment center Specialty retail, spa and conference center

Plan 3 of 3 We’ll make sure all of Ohio wins: The resort casino is expected to generate $800 million in gross gaming revenue. Taxed at 30%, it would generate $240 million in gaming tax revenue. Revenues will be divided among all 88 Ohio counties, based on population One percent of revenue will be directed to programs supporting problem gambling 5,400 construction jobs 3,800 ongoing jobs

PLAN MEETS NEED 1 of 2 One centrally-located entertainment complex will leverage investments and create operating revenue beyond what several local casinos could achieve The financial pro formas explain the plan Other states with one-shop casinos are thriving

PLAN MEETS NEED 2 of 2 It will be supported by all Ohioans Research shows that this casino would be preferred over out-of-state ones Our research shows that Ohioans would find the 2.5-hour (max) drive not to be an obstacle Our survey of Ohio travel/tourism boards shows that the conference center would have a significant number of bookings

No objections? 1 of 2 This plan would create no new problems Increased use of public services in Clinton County would be paid for by the pre-tax tax Programs for the treatment of problem gamblers will receive 1% or $2.4 million. Administrative costs required to regulate the casino will receive 1% or $2.4 million.

No objections? 2 of 2 Some people object to gambling on moral grounds. But the State of Ohio already operates The Ohio Lottery, the nation’s 9 th largest, with $2.2 billion in sales receipts Clearly, Ohioans already travel to casinos in neighboring states and to entertainment centers. Gambling is ubiquitous. The Clinton County casino would operate openly and under state supervision.

Conclusion So let’s break ground. Let’s create jobs for Ohio Let’s create revenue for our counties Let’s keep Ohio money in Ohio Let’s create an entertainment complex that all of Ohio will be proud of Let’s help Ohioans stay in Ohio for their entertainment