Casino issue foe opposes own Cleveland casino

CLEVELAND (AP) — An opponent of casinos proposed for Ohio’s four largest cities is now offering his own plan for a casino in downtown Cleveland.

Developer Jeffrey Jacobs envisions a $500 million hotel and casino next to Cleveland’s planned convention center and medical trade show complex.

In an interview with The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Jacobs described his casino plan as “steak” and dismissed the four-city proposal on Ohio’s fall ballot as “hamburger.”

A spokesman for the ballot campaign says Jacobs is mainly concerned about protecting out-of-state casinos.

Jacobs is chairman of MTR Gaming Group Inc., owner of gambling properties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. MTR executives have vowed to spend up to $8 million to defeat the Ohio ballot measure.