Katelyn Hawthorne/The Miami Student
I was traveling along Interstate 90 near Cleveland when out of my peripheral vision I caught a billboard sign advertising Casino Windsor in Ontario. A lackluster industrial Canadian city across the river from Detroit, Windsor is not a remarkable destination in any sense. Windsor has suffered-like so many Rust Belt cities in America-from a depressed industrial sector once leading to rising unemployment and economic stagnation. And yet this unassuming southern Canadian town with has become a prime tourist location for many Ohioans.
Of course, the reason for any tourism in Windsor lies in legalized casino gambling. Casino Windsor opened its doors in 1993 and instantly became a one-day travel destination for Americans looking to play craps or slot machines. Coach buses full of American retirees flock to Windsor to spend portions of their retirement money on nickel slot machines and low minimum blackjack tables. Casino Windsor generates revenue between $400 and $500 million a year. Legalized gambling has been so successful that the Ontario government plans on expanding Casino Windsor-all the while creating investment in the city and thousands of jobs in construction, maintenance, management and dealing. Not to mention the thousands of other jobs Casino Windsor creates with the building of nearby hotels, restaurants, shopping and other commercial interests directly related to the city's tourism industry.
Realizing the immense profits foregone by continuing to outlaw casino gambling, Michigan has legalized casino gambling and the city of Detroit is already looking to capitalize on gambling. Three major casinos opened temporary casino floors in 2000 and are on the verge of opening multimillion dollar casino complexes complete with luxury hotel rooms and full service restaurants. All told, the casino industry has pumped $1.5 billion in much needed funds into downtown Detroit. Indeed, the construction of high-rise casinos is permanently changing the skyline of Detroit and perhaps offers the city an opportunity to end its costly dependence on Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.
Similar economic success stories are the norm on Native American reservations across the country. The center of extreme poverty, illiteracy and unemployment-Native American reservations are ending their economic dependence and churning profits with the help of casino gambling. Since the 1988 passing of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act by Congress allowing reservations to build casinos, unemployment and welfare rates on reservations have dramatically decreased.
Meanwhile in Ohio, economic opportunity is being squandered by political leaders unwilling to legalize casino gambling in the state. In 2004, the rate of poverty in Ohio stood at 17. percent. Unemployment in Ohio, nearly 6 percent, is well above the current national average. But the investment and jobs offered by casino gambling are treated as a virus that would spell the death of families in Ohio. The arguments of opponents of casino gambling are perplexing. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) has been a leading opponent of casino development because of its supposed effect on families. His argument against gambling is its addictive nature and allows addicted parents to blow their child's college fund on a game of baccarat. But how casino gambling is more addictive than Ohio's current lottery system or Ohio's perfectly legal horse races is unclear. After all, Voinovich led the expansion and marketing campaign of Ohio's lottery for eight years as governor-arguing the money was going to public schools. Yet Voinovich successfully defeated a measure that would have legalized casino gambling with a tax going toward the cost of college education in Ohio-an education that grows astronomically in price for Ohio's families each year.
As for the severity of casino gambling's addictive nature, there are conflicting reports of exactly how addictive gambling actually is. It certainly takes a specific mind-set and personality for someone to become addicted to gambling. I know I don't like to continue to lose money, but I certainly like to play craps or roulette on occasion for entertainment. Does that make me an addict? Voinovich might think so.
Voinovich's emotional appeal "to protect families" from casinos even convinced Governor Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) to oppose the November 2006 ballot measure that would have largely legalized casino gambling in Ohio and allowed the development of casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Strickland's staunch opposition officially makes the quest to keep out casino gambling a bipartisan failure in Ohio.
Ohio cities, especially my native northeastern Ohio, are desperate for new economic opportunities. These cities-Cleveland, Lorain and Youngstown instantly come to mind-would be chomping at the bit to welcome casinos into Ohio. The instant jobs and investment dollars that come with casino gambling seem obvious but self-serving politicians feel the need "to protect" Ohio's families.
The other contention made by opponents of casinos is that street crime will plague cities that play host to gambling. The empirical evidence suggesting causality between the presence of casinos and an increase in the crime rate are hardly convincing. True, cities such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City have higher crime rates, but the culprit is not the casinos lining their streets. One of the obvious consequences of increased tourism is higher crime rates. And casinos fuel the tourism industry. Trying to link casinos directly with crime is a fruitless effort and I'd be willing to bet that a city such as Cleveland that is already riddled with serious violent crime would be willing to sacrifice the possibility of more purse snatchings for the tangible benefits of investment and jobs rapidly provided by a large downtown casino.
Las Vegas is the capitol city of casino gambling and remains one of the fastest growing metropolises. The current policy is a backward approach to an industry that holds much potential for Ohio. If Ohio's current political leadership truly wants to turn Ohio around, then they will embrace the real economic benefits of casino gambling and welcome the investment and employment opportunities that this state desperately needs while keeping gambling money in Ohio and out of Ontario or Michigan.
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