Wilmington in the Crosshairs as Ohio Decides on Issue 6, a Controversial Casino Amendment

New Albany, Ohio -- I will be the first one to admit there are several of the statewide issues in Ohio that most voters, including myself, don't hear anything about until we either read the wording of the proposal ourselves -- or get to the voting booth on election day. This year, Issue 6 is definitely not one of those issues.

What is issue 6 exactly? Issue 6 in Ohio this year is a proposed constitutional amendment, which would authorize a privately owned casino to build on 94 acres of land just outside Wilmington, Ohio, in Clinton County. The required minimum initial investment would be set at $600 million.

Clinton County is in the southwest part of the state of Ohio, and it has recently been hard hit by news of a merger between DHL and UPS, which may cost the area 6,000 jobs or more. Currently DHL is by far the number one employer in Wilmington and Clinton County, and employs around 7,000 people. Many believe that if the UPS deal goes through and the restructuring takes place, Wilmington will be left with 1,000 jobs of less from a company that has been a mainstay in the area.

How does this DHL merger affect the vote on issue 6? It certainly helps the casino operators in their hopes of picking up some votes in the southwest part of Ohio. The operators say that the main reason this issue needs to be passed is that it will bring up to 5,000 jobs to Ohio. Clearly this is a message that voters in this part of the state are listening to in these difficult times. Those saying we should vote yes on this amendment also say that Ohio is losing money to nearby states who allow casino gambling and we need to stop losing that money.

What is the other side of issue 6? There are also very many strong opponents to this amendment and they have multiple reasons for their opposition. Chief among the concerns to many is the apparent loophole that if other casinos open later in Ohio the gross casino receipts from this casino in Wilmington could go to 0%. Also a major concern of many is the basic idea against a society of gambling. Ohio has had a society free of gambling for such a long time and some studies point to increased amount of casinos leading to higher crime in the area and much lower savings rates among those who live nearby. The Ohio Vindicator puts it very bluntly in their opposition to the issue, stating "Casino gambling is the biggest redistribution of wealth scheme ever invented; it takes from the poor and gives to the rich."

In the community around Ohio I hear many stating that casinos need to be allowed in Ohio because they currently are none. At the same time I hear a lot of people who believe that this would bring down southwest Ohio and hurt the quality of jobs in the area and the quality of living for those around the casino. I have several close friends in the Wilmington area that are to this point undecided how they will vote on this issue. Generally they are opposed to casino gambling and wouldn't want to go there themselves, but they also find it appealing that this could bring quite a few jobs to the area when jobs are needed. They are among the very few who are undecided on this issue.

The Columbus Dispatch recently revealed a poll conducted at the end of September showing support for Issue 6 is at 50% while opposition is at 41%. This one will likely come down to the wire, and it is apparent that both sides understand that. I can tell you just by the amount of flyers I am getting in the mail every single day telling me which way to vote on this issue!

Sources:

Yes on Issue 6- Full Text of Issue 6

Dayton Business Journal- Wilmington may lose 6,100 ABX jobs in DHL-UPS Deal

Vindy.com- The Vindicator- Vote no on issue 6

Dispatch Politics- Casino Proposal Holding Top Hand