Who will profit from casino in Lordstown? The Shawnee

Who will profit from casino in Lordstown? The Shawnee
EDITOR:
Those who favor the sale of 137 acres in the Lordstown area to the sovereign nation of the Shawnee Tribe of Native Americans need to know some very important facts about such a venture. In the first place, 30 of those acres are actually in Jackson Township in the county of Mahoning, while the remainder rests in Lordstown of Trumbull County. Thus the Lordstown Village Council does not possess the legal authority over the entire tract.
Next, one needs to know that the economic advantage promised to Lordstown, if that land is used for establishing a casino plus amenities, is not a certainty. Experience in other communities say otherwise. For example, when the state of Illinois made gambling legal 12 years ago it was for the purpose of boosting the local economy. Recent studies have determined that for every $1 placed in a gambling device, $2.41 is actually subtracted from the local economy. As for the promise of increased tourism, Detroit has something to teach us as well. Eighty percent of the people who frequent the three Detroit area casinos come from three contiguous counties. If you want to see what a casino does for a local community, just drive down to Newell, W.Va., and you will see that nothing has benefited that little river town by its proximity of the Mountaineer Slots and Racetrack. Ninety-eight percent of all monies gained from the slots will go to the tribe. Two percent will go to the Lordstown community, but those funds must be used to improve the infrastructure that will benefit the casino and the other embellishments within the sovereign nation. That stipulation is found in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. One hundred percent of the profits from table games (poker, blackjack, roulette, craps etc.) will go to the tribe, as will all profits from the hotel and food services.
The sovereign nation can hire whomever it wishes and you can bet that most of the employees will come from reservations in Oklahoma and other tribal lands. They will not tolerate unions inside their sovereign nation so this union-strong community will suffer that way as well.
Finally, it must be pointed out that the land purchased by the Shawnees will be a separate, sovereign nation and they can do there whatever they wish to do. They can use some of it for a nuclear waste dump or other landfill, as they have done in other areas. They can, and will, place retail stores and gas stations in their sovereign nation that will compete with local retailers. Since they pay no state, federal or local taxes they can undercut any price in the surrounding community.
The only people to profit from this venture will be the Shawnee Nation.
CHARLES H. McGOWEN, MD
Howland
Casino is worth the gamble
EDITOR:
I have to say that I am one of the ones who won't go and spend my hard earned money at the casino, but I certainly would approve of the jobs and money coming into the Mahoning Valley. I just can't understand why these "do-gooders" are always trying to make everything so negative.
People who go to Mountaineer and Las Vegas are going to gamble whether it's here or there and they spend more money traveling and hotels, etc. Why not keep these dollars in the Valley? The same people that want to travel to these places will continue to do so, so let them.
I'm not saying this is a cure all for all our problems, but it sure could help our state with some financial help. It is not just the casino that will help, but the trickle down affect such as eateries, shops, entertainment, etc.
Why don't these people make a fuss over all these prisons that are getting all the prisoners we are getting from all over the country; are they happy about this?
I don't play the Ohio Lotto, or play bingo at any church in the Mahoning Valley, but we could get some of our unemployed back to work and get back some of our services that little by little these politicians are taking away from us. They never take a pay cut or freeze their wages as they want all of us to do.
Our country is going backward instead of moving forward.
ANN MARIE MECKES
Girard