Reported by: Jenell Walton
Photographed by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
It's been on the ballot before and failed every single time, but another casino developer is willing to take a gamble on Issue 6.
Supporters of Ohio's resort casino say it's good for the economy.
All 88 counties in Ohio would get a piece of the $800 million in taxable revenue.
It's estimated Hamilton County would receive nearly $16 million each year.
Opponents say they don't care how much it is – the developers should try to hit the jackpot somewhere else.
The Ohio Resort Casino would be built on a cornfield about 20 miles north of Kings Island off of I-71 in Clinton County.
It would sit across the street from the Ceaser Creek Flea Market on SR 73.
Some say yes to Issue 6 because of its tax revenue.
"Our taxes will be 30% of the gross gaming revenue, plus federal, state, local, property all the other taxes," said the co-founder of MyOhioNow, Rick Lertzman, a supporter of Issue 6. "If a second casino opens up, we can drop to 25%."
Supporters say it will also create 5,000 new jobs.
"The average salary based upon figures from Indiana are approximately $34,000. Plus, on top of that, there is an entire benefit package," explained Dr. Brad Pressman, co-founder of MyOhioNow.
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solution doesn't support or oppose Issue 6, but the agency's expert, scholar Jeff Hooke understands why some will vote against it.
"Of course, opening a casino in a state that doesn't have them, you're going to risk the possibility of some social problems. People getting addicted that normally wouldn't go to a casino," Hooke said.
Here's a breakdown of how much tax revenue our area could receive:
Hamilton County $16 Million
Butler County $6.1 Million
Clermont County $3.3 Million
Warren County $2.9 Million
Hooke says that's actually a drop in the bucket compared to what the state could make if it auctioned off the casino license instead of selling it to Lakes Entertainment for $15 million.
"This license, they're going to get five or six thousand slot machines, plus table games like Black Jack. Any simple analysis tells you this license will be worth a billion dollars or more and they can sell it a day after the issue passes," Hooke explained.
There have been ads and campaign literature from both sides of the issue.
Some say they're so confusing.
Most of the opposition ads are funded by the group that owns Argosy Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Many believe they're worried about losing millions to an Ohio casino.
