Kinzel: Cedar Fair on board with possible Ohio gambling

I'm no anti-gambling zealot, but Ohio needs to take a hard look at what unrestricted casino zoning does to cities. The benefit of keeping it heavily controlled and on "Reservations" and riverboats is that the blight is somewhat contained. As soon as developers can build casinos anywhere they want cities are overtaken by cheap, ugly, ghetto casinos (drive through Billings, Montana for an example if you're ever up there)

Now I'm sure Cedar Point's casino would be very nice, but Sandusky would be overrun by cheap casinos, as would most of Cleveland.

Sounds like allot of the same malarky that people up here in Western New York are gambling for, no pun intended. But I think it would be a dumb move for Ohio to make a move on this. I might add im also no anti-gambling person. I'm not going to lie cause I do go to Niagara Falls and other local slots. But IMO its not the greatest direction to go in. However just to daydream tell me how cool it would be to see a Cedar Point themed slot, lol, play the TTD slot and if you win your coins get shot into your bucket at 120MPH! OH YEAH! but Okie back on the serious track here.;)*** This post was edited by SFDLdan 3/10/2005 11:09:49 PM ***

If that were to happen, several of the southern Indiana Casinos would go out of business as people from Cinci would stop driving 45 minutes and stay in town. I can see a CP Casino doing nothing but helping the company as a whole. Those things generate a ridiculous amount of money. If Dicky is interested, there is a good chance there is money to be made.

Gambling in nearby Trumbull County (where I live) is up for a vote in the next week. In our case, Native American Indians are the one's trying to get the approval. The development is being proposed across the street from GM Lordstown, where the Chevy Cobalt is built.

The times they are a changin.....

The problem I have with this proposal, not including any moral dilemnas I would have, is that the gambling proposal would only include certain metropolitan areas. Already oversaturated business and recreational areas will be given top priority for development, and the areas that could use the money in the state would be left out.

On the note of Cedar Fair's Dick Kinzel's response, logically the amusement park industry is already involved in a sort of gambling?...games of chance, the question of will it rain or not, and will your favorite ride be operating today...sounds like a gamble sometimes to me...hehe :)

I really can't see gambling becoming a reality in Ohio, not with Bob Tax in charge. There are so many obstacles to clear to build that casino in Lordstown. Although not a positive method for economic development, Ohioans will continue to flock to West Virginia and spend their money there. Just go down to Mountaineer on a weekend and observe the license plates: Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana.

Hey, Bob Taft won a pretty prestigious award recently. He was voted "Worst Governor in America"! ;)

Ray P.

I think it would be a bad discision on CP's part. It's an amusement park for the family, not a casino. Gambling won't do any good there.

Gambling won't do any good there? I'd be interested in why you think a casino couldn't succeed at Cedar Point. I can only think of reasons why it will help CP, and if given the chance, CP would be smart to bring in a casino. Already when I go to Adventureland, I always be sure to stop at the casino just across the street from the park. I'd probably do the same thing at CP as well, as it is added fun to drop a few quarters in the slots. Also, this gives senior citizens, or those who can't ride some of the rides due to medical conditions another source of entertainment. It's a whole other market for CP to add, and I'd love to see it happen.
*** This post was edited by Dan D McD 3/11/2005 8:06:00 AM ***

IMO: NE Ohio needs/should have casino(s) so bad it's scary. As for what it does to the cities, see Detroit - excellent outcome.

Of course, none of this means anything because gambling anywhere in Ohio has a snowball's chance in hell of getting approved by the state.

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It's an amusement park for the family, not a casino.

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Nonsense. Have you been to Niagara Falls lately? The Casino is, what, a few blocks from Clifton Hill? The presence of a casino does not make a place Las Vegas.

If I remember from the last time this came up (and was shot down) the issue isn't so much that Cedar Fair is particularly interested in gaming, but if it's going to happen they want a piece of it.

Seems a perfectly reasonable attitude to me. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Gambling's crap. The Twin Cities on on the verge of being destroyed by it, and now the best amusement park in the world?

At least I'm not going to be gambling.

Qualify your opinion. What makes you decide that it's crap?

Okay, it is just an opinion. good points of gambling:

• More money will be gained
• CP will grow more popular

Bad points:

• Crime levels will likely increase, mostly burglary and larceny
• CP will be infested with bums and crimelords (not really)
• The focus of CP will change from being an amusemnt resort to a casino resort, with some rides.

Just look at Billings, Montana. Every gas station, restaurant and some hotels and fast-food restaraunts have slots and other forms of gambling.

You can drive down the main street in Billings (although I don't remember the name), and you can look for abou 2 miles down a street with multi-colored signs advertising what forms of gambling each store/restaraunt/hotel offers. Under those sings, you see the real sign of the store/restaraunt/hotel.

That is what i'm talking about.

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Qualify your opinion. What makes you decide that it's crap?

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Well there is this game where you roll a pair of dice and bet on how they will land. Its called...

Anyway, Let's look at Detroit. Laws limited the city to three Casinos which so far have done a great job of cleaning their section of town and promoting the city as a place to go. Not to mention the taxes they pay. Aside from a few mistakes, the whole situation has been well managed for keeping the city in good condition.

Sandusky (or any other city) isn't going to turn into a slum unless they let it happen.

Wait, Sandusky isn't already a slum. Could've fooled me.

This sounds like a great idea! I love to gamble and play slots, poker, blackjack. I love going to Wheeling, WV since it is the only place(besides canada) that I can gamble at. They don't have any tables games tho. Looking forword to the days where I can rides coasters and gamble.

regards,

RaZorE86

I agree with viper. it all depends on the local officials (and residents), upon approval, on how to maximize on the benefits of having legalized gambling and at the same time improve the quality of living in a particular city. I like to gamble occasionaly. The great thing about the possibility of CP having casinos, is I'll DEFINITELY make the trip to ohio at least twice a year. Its a hell lot cheaper than goin to vegas.

DanDMcd said:

Already when I go to Adventureland, I always be sure to stop at the casino just across the street from the park. I'd probably do the same thing at CP as well, as it is added fun to drop a few quarters in the slots. Also, this gives senior citizens, or those who can't ride some of the rides due to medical conditions another source of entertainment.

Good ole Prairie Meadows, right next to the park, how fun is that, actually went out 2 weekends ago and lost 60 bucks, you're better off to go down to Lakeside (won 40 last weeked), PM doesn't pay out worth a crap since they give so much back to the DSM area.