Casino Opt-Outs Sought

Four Ohio state legislators last week introduced a package of bills that would place a constitutional amendment on the May ballot allowing communities to opt out of having a casino established in their region.

The bills come a few weeks after statewide voters approved by a margin of 53% a constitutional amendment allowing for the establishment of four casinos in Ohio’s four top cities.

While voters in Cincinnati, ­Columbus, Toledo, and Cleveland voted for the measure, 58% of voters in Franklin County voted against it. Columbus Mayor ­Michael Coleman opposed the proposal, along with several business groups.

State Reps. Cheryl Grossman , R-Grove City, and Kevin Bacon, R-Minerva Park, joined Sens. Jim Hughes, D-Columbus, and David Goodman, R-New Albany, in introducing the bills.

“Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati should not be in a position to make development decisions for Columbus any more than Columbus residents should be weighing in on Cleveland projects,” Goodman said in a release. “This amendment gives local communities more control as Ohio takes the first steps into casino gaming.”

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