COLUMBUS, Ohio , Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, August 14 , the Ohio Ballot Board approved the language for Issue #6, which will allow Ohio voters on November 4th , an opportunity to legalize the first resort/casino in Ohio . The final step to place Issue 6 on the November ballot will be to await the validation of 402,235 signatures of Ohio voters that are being checked by the 88 local Board of Elections. Approximately 800,000 signatures were submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State (that reached the 5% threshold in 81 of Ohio's 88 counties) on August 5th . The Secretary of State has sent a directive to the 88 Board of Elections requesting that the validation process be completed by August 26th .
Issue Six is to approve a $600 million destination resort/casino in Clinton County, Ohio with 30% of the revenues going to the 88 counties based on a per capita basis. The project will employ up to 5000 jobs along with thousands of jobs in the construction of the project.
'Issue Six represents several important areas for Ohioans. First, we can
make a great impact with the jobs that this project will offer. With up to
5000 permanent jobs that cannot be outsourced, with an average salary of
$34,000 plus full benefits along with 2000-3000 construction jobs to build the
$600 million resort casino, this is an important issue to thousands of Ohio
families that have been hit hard by the job loss in our state. Secondly, by
generating over $800 million yearly in projected gross gaming revenues, money
will be shared by all 88 Ohio counties -- every year, based on population.
Each county can spend the dollars as they choose -- there are no strings
attached. Finally, nearly every state around Ohio has a successful casino
industry (in fact there are 38 states that have casinos), and it is time to
reverse the trend of our money leaving our state at 65 MPH and keep the
dollars here, 'said Dr.
'Ohioans have responded positively to the MyOhioNow.com casino plan as an
idea that finally makes sense for our state. It is important to us that we
present this issue with complete honesty and transparency. We fully expect the
opposition to be funded by the gambling interests that surround Ohio . They are
upset that their free lunch is over and that Ohio is attempting to stop the
billions of dollars that leave our state every year to the casinos that
surround us. With states such as Indiana that collect approximately $900
million every year in taxes from their casinos, these gambling companies may
invest dollars as opposition to Issue Six to ensure that it will not pass.
They want to continue to control Ohio dollars. Issue 6 will reverse that trend
and return dollars to Ohio ,' said
The MyOhioNow.com project is a joint venture with Lakes Entertainment (Nasdaq: LACO) of Minnesota who are operators of premier gaming facilities. The $600,000,000 casino/resort destination site that is located off I-71 (at State Route 73) is situated in southwest Ohio in Clinton County .
Below is the language as it will appear on the November 4th ballot:
ISSUE #6
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION BY INITIATIVE PETITION FOR A CASINO NEAR WILMINGTON
IN SOUTHWEST OHIO AND DISTRIBUTE TO ALL OHIO COUNTIES A TAX ON THE CASINO
(Proposed by Initiative Petition)
To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution
This proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution would:
1. Authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of $600 million on a 94-acre site located near the northwest corner of State Route 73 and Interstate 71 in southwest Ohio in Chester Township near Wilmington , Clinton County, Ohio .
2. Require the casino to pay a tax of up to 30% on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts. The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs, and the remainder to be distributed in the amount of 10% to Clinton County and 90% to the remaining counties based on population and to be used at each county's discretion.
3. Reduce the tax paid by the casino authorized by this amendment to the lesser of the rate taxed on another casino or 25%, in the event another casino is permitted in Ohio in the future.
4. Require that the casino be subject to all other applicable types of taxes that are currently in effect in Ohio .
5. Authorize the casino to conduct any game permitted in the State of Nevada , or any state adjacent to Ohio , including any type of card or table games, slot machines, and electronic gaming devices, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over would be permitted to place bets. Amounts of bets would not be subject to any limits now or in the future. Days and hours of operation would not be subject to limits.
6. Set aside the application to the casino of all local and state laws and any constitutional provisions that would prohibit the operation of this privately owned casino, including any local zoning law that would prohibit or place restrictions on a casino from operating on the property in question.
If approved, this proposed amendment shall take effect 30 days after the election.
For more information on Ohio Issue 6 and MyOhioNow.com please visit the website: www.MyOhioNow.com
SOURCE www.MyOhioNow.com
