Ohio's urban casino future

November 4, 2009
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Ohio residents looking to be separated from their bank accounts via one-armed bandits won't have to cross borders soon, thanks to a vote yesterday. See story here.

Anyone surprised by this vote might also be shocked to learn that many theater companies will be staging "A Christmas Carol" next month

Indiana casinos, of course, will feel the impact. But could that impact have been mitigated if our casinos had, during their relatively competition-free grace period, done more to develop themselves as destinations beyond the slot machines? In hindsight, was the "oasis" strategy of putting casinos in less-populated areas counter to what the market really wants? Will you be more likely to stop into a Cleveland or Columbus casino simply because you are more likely to find yourself in Cleveland or Columbus than you are in Hammond or French Lick?

And what can Indiana casinos do now to retain and, if possible, actually grow their audiences?

Your thoughts?


 

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  • Fail
    NickNovember 4, 2009 2:18 PM
    The "oasis" strategy didn't work. Sure, it made sense to put them up near Lake Michigan, and I think French Lick will ultimately be a good destination. However instead of the two racinos, it would have made so much more sense to put a casino in Downtown Indy. With our convention traffic, it would have been a hit year around, not to mention bring even more locals downtown. It is a missed opportunity now.
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  • The Party is Over
    NickNovember 4, 2009 4:46 PM
    A casino in Indianapolis or Fort Wayne would be a terrible idea. It would only shift existing entertainment spending from locals and not bring in any "new" money from out of state to our economy. We already have two casinos within a 30 minute drive, a downtown off track betting parlor, Hoosier Lottery sales,and countless "charity" gambling venues.

    Just waiting for some politician to suggest legal sales of marijuana or prostitution.
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  • Anderson to Indy
    RichNovember 5, 2009 2:58 AM
    The need to close the struggling Anderson Hoosier Park Racino and move it to downtown Indy to capture all the possible revenue from conventions, Final Fours, Super Bowl, Indy 500 visitors Etc. That would bring in a lot more out of town money than Anderson, which was once a nice City, but now is a shadow of itself and smaller than Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, and Avon.
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  • Casinos
    JoyceNovember 5, 2009 8:09 AM
    The original thinking on the tracks was to help Indiana's struggling horse industry. At least that's how legislators sold gambling to the public. It was an awful mistake to locate the first track in Anderson instead of in Marion County. It was a bad decision to open a second track. Our gambling boats have raked in a lot of out-of-state money, which subsidized the horse tracks. That's probably over now.
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  • Casinos
    JoyceNovember 5, 2009 8:09 AM
    The original thinking on the tracks was to help Indiana's struggling horse industry. At least that's how legislators sold gambling to the public. It was an awful mistake to locate the first track in Anderson instead of in Marion County. It was a bad decision to open a second track. Our gambling boats have raked in a lot of out-of-state money, which subsidized the horse tracks. That's probably over now.
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  • No Casino In Indy
    NickNovember 5, 2009 8:15 AM
    Indianapolis casino supporters are not going after "out of town travelers". They are targeting residents of the largest city in Indiana. Of course, uneducated center township residents would be the biggest patrons.
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