Jul

31

Lima City Salivating Heavily Over Casino Hopes

July 31, 2007 |

Let the big payouts begin… or at least the stick and carrot kind. How do you sell a real stupid idea to the city and area residents? Easy… just offer money. Of course there is no casino… and presently no legal way to have an Indian Casino… but the hopes and dreams are being fueled by large cash payouts.

It’s stupid because they are looking at giving away their land forever just at the chance a casino would become legal. They are giving away land to a foreign entity that presupposes they actually make a profit… most likely from the middle to poor class in the region who won’t travel to the “real” casinos in Nevada. They give away land with no guarantee of future payments. But the Mayor Berger (democrat) of Lima and “republican” John Nixon (sitting appointed Council President) are already drooling heavily.

John Nixon on the $15,000 payment for a expert on Indian Casinos….

Council President John Nixon said the $15,000 has the potential for a return on its investment with a conservative estimate of $2 million to $4 million annually from the tribe’s casino.

Financial director sees only dollar signs… realize that no casino can be built… but they act like it will happen soon and hire even more than the two regional hospitals in the area.

“Even with conservative numbers, the numbers are pretty astronomical,” Cleaves said. “Stop and think: This would be the city’s largest employer. It’s just a huge economic spark. From an economic basis, it’s indisputable.”

Financial director sees only dollar signs… realize that no casino can be built… but they act like it will happen
in the next year. This is shear desperation for a city that should have spent similar efforts for real jobs. Councilman Ray Magnus (running for Council President) opposes the casino on grounds that it will hurt the city in the long run. He also asked the council to put in more protection for the city in the agreement. It appears they don’t want to do that either.

Magnus asked if more protections for the city can be written into the agreement. As written, the agreement allows the tribe to nullify the agreement with 90 days notice. However, if that happens, Mayor David Berger said, the city is under no obligation to provide the development water or sewer service, which Ohio law says must come from a municipal source.

It appears that they depend on Ohio law for the answer to the water issue but seem to ignore the fact that Ohio currently doesn’t allow the kind of casino gambling they want and that has been seen in the past votes on recent issue ballots. What does this mean for the future of the land. It appears that they are ready to hand the land over and take the Gamble that they will get a casino in some distant future. Dreams of money… so tempting… so distant… so dangerous to politicians and their common senses.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. Mel LePage on August 1, 2007 11:51 am

    Just an everyday person who enjoys a once in awhile trip to a casino OVER THE STATE LINE and spend money that could of stayed in Ohio so it goes for Thousands of other so called Gamblers as the word says but in control of ones own finances when its Casino time. But the Beautiful state of Ohio can not see “THE FOREST FOR THE TREES” lots & lots of Jobs and Tax Revenue down the drain. Time to come out of your shell OHIO and give PROGRESS a fair chance and because you don’t want Gambling don’t smother the good citizens of your state and insist of controlling ones own LIFE and FREEDOM as long as its handled responsibly. THANK YOU

  2. Conservative Culture on August 1, 2007 9:16 pm

    Progress is giving away land to a foreign nation? With only the hope of an Indian Casino? If Ohio does do it… better one that remains a part of the USA. Can you see the end result through the field of green?

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