Ohio House OKs year-end racino payment to Austintown

AUSTINTOWN

The Ohio House concurred, 79 to 4, on House Bill 494 that included an amendment specifying the $500,000 payments for the racinos in Austintown and Dayton.

Ohio Rep. Kirk Schuring of Canton, R-48th, was the lead sponsor on the bill that primarily dealt with local government. He said the bill allows “counties to partner and use collective resources to join with ODOT [Ohio Department of Transportation] to build regional highway projects.”

Schuring addressed the racino amendment to the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously Dec. 10.

“There’s some controversial things in this particular amendment, but I have told the interested parties I’m committed to working with them ... [I] have support of the Senate sponsor to work in that endeavor.”

Ohio Sen. Bill Beagle of Tipp City, R-5th, introduced the amendment last week and worked closely with Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, on this issue.

The amendment stipulates that only the tracks in Austintown and Dayton – Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway – get the $500,000 payments over the next three years. The first payment is due Dec. 31. The payment will be split, $250,000 coming from Penn National Gaming, Inc. – the operator of both facilities – and $250,000 from the track relocation fund. Penn National will pay $150 million over 10 years into that fund for moving tracks to Ausintown and Dayton from Grove City, Ohio and Toledo, respectively.

The bill now heads to the office of Republican Gov. John Kasich for approval.