A coalition of Ohio businesses says its' members are going to lose out, if limited entertainment dollars are redirected into casinos.
The group is criss-crossing the state to alert voters to the potential impact on `their' livelihood.
Patty Rebman is a third generation owner of one of Lorain's largest entertainment centers - built around its 48 bowling lanes. She's studied the research of casino impact in other states, including a Hiram College report released at the end of September.... and she's scared.
PATTY REBMAN: "Yes I want jobs, but I want to keep my customers. I'm afraid of them bowling a couple of nights a week, they might say, `Ahhh, I won't be doing that any longer', so less and less people come into the bowling center... obviously less business for us."
Owners of similar entertainment operations, bars, and restaurants gathered in Cleveland to reiterate the negative aspects of casinos highlighted by the Hiram report - and to question why the state legislature isn't looking at more options for gambling.
David Corey heads the Coin Machine, AND Bowling Center Associations of Ohio.
He fears the state is handing out monopolies to the casino's future owners.
DAVID COREY: "It's important to create a strategy in Ohio. Just not have one idea, but a balanced, fair, expanded gaming strategy, that will give the state a good deal, Ohioans a good deal, and homegrown local businesses an opportunity to share in the potential rewards."
The group contends that much of the cash collected in casinos is homegrown as well - they point to research indicating 80-90% of the money spent, will come from Ohioans, not from tourists.
Rick Jackson, 90.3
