Kasich reiterates commitment to helping Valley land a racino
As the finishing touches are put to the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, which is scheduled to open in May, the usual grousing from Mahoning Valley residents about this area being passed over — again — isn’t being heard. Instead, there’s a definite air of optimism, prompted by a recent announcement from Penn National Gaming Inc. and Gov. John Kasich.
In fact, Kasich seemed to acknowledge the Valley’s distress at not getting one of the five full-service casinos to be built in Ohio when he told The Vindicator recently, “Some had a sense that Youngstown was being passed over, but it’s clear that Youngstown was always a priority. We wanted to get this done the right way.”
The “this” that the governor was talking about is a $200 million thoroughbred horse-racing track that Penn National plans to locate in Austintown on Centerpointe property off state Route 46 near the Interstate 80 interchange.
Penn National, which is building Las Vegas-style casinos in Toledo and Columbus, is relocating Beulah Park from Columbus to Austintown and Raceway Park near Toledo to Dayton.
Earlier this month, the third largest publicly held gaming company in the country and the governor entered into an agreement that brings the Ausintown project a major step closer to becoming a reality.
But it isn’t just the prospect of thoroughbred racing that has Valley residents excited — although having the newest track in Ohio will certainly be major selling point for owners of top-rated horses. One of the complaints about Ohio’s racing industry has been the age of the tracks.
Valley residents’ disappointment at the region not getting one of the five full-service casinos — two will be located in Cleveland, and one each in Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati — has been ameliorated by the fact that the Austintown track will also have slot machines.
The Ohio Senate is now working on a comprehensive casino bill that not only addresses all the issue relating to the casinos — in 2010, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment that opened the doors to such gambling — but also deals with slot machines in Ohio’s horse-racing tracks.
Meanwhile, Penn National, which will pay the state $100 million in licensing fees and a $75 million relocation fee, is waiting for the Ohio Racing Commission to finalize the format and details of the application before the gaming company can file for approval.
Given the governor’s support of the fledging casino industry in the Ohio, the chances of the Austintown project becoming a reality are good.
Local cooperation
While progress is made at the state level, local government and community leaders need to work with Penn National to determine what the companies needs in terms of support and job training so there aren’t any unnecessary barriers.
In Cleveland, city and county governments worked closely with Rock Ohio Caesars to develop the former Higbee department store site. The second casino will be built on the lake front.
Caesars’ officials have had high praise for the cooperation they’ve received from the public and private sectors in Cuyahoga County.
Penn National, which is investing a lot of money in its Austintown project, deserves no less from the Valley.