November 10, 200915 yr Well, since I have no choice in the matter (or my choice was not of the majority), I guess I have to go along with it. So, why is there no hotel associated with the Casino here? They might as well design a hotel tower seeing as though we are in need a of a full service hotel for the sake of conventions.
November 10, 200915 yr A full service Hilton is going to be constructed across from the Hyatt Regency on North High Street. It is in the design stage now.
November 11, 200915 yr I believe the casino investors intentionally left the hotel out as a way to woo support from city/county government who are already set on building the Hilton. They didn't want the Casino Hotel to be seen as a competitor. I'm hearing rumblings from some grassroots folks who are looking to continue the oppositional fight against the Casino. Just because the amendments gives Penn the authority to build the casino in Columbus, it doesn't mean that they <b>have</b> to. Will post up more details when I hear more...
November 20, 200915 yr Still no renderings. But 10TV visited the Hollywood Casino in Indiana... See What Columbus' Casino Will Look Like LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. — Enter the Hollywood Casino and you're back in Hollywood's golden age, lavish with glitz and glamour. Classic 1930s art deco meets the high-tech gaming world of today, 10TV's Kurt Ludlow reported. Full photo gallery and video at http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2009/11/13/story_casino.html?sid=102
November 21, 200915 yr <b>Locals Interested in Stopping the Columbus Casino</b> By Walker | November 20, 2009 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/jon-myers-chuck-hootman-columbus.jpg"> Issue 3 passed on November 3rd, awarding Penn National Gaming the ability to install casinos in four Ohio cities including Columbus. Voters in Franklin County opposed the casino proposal 58% to 42%, and so did every other Central Ohio county. A local movement is being started by Jon Myers and Chuck Hootman to remind Central Ohioans that just because Penn National is allowed to build a casino here, it doesn’t mean that they have to. MORE HERE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/locals-interested-in-stopping-the-columbus-casino
November 22, 200915 yr Hey, can you think of a more glamorous place to cruise around on your Hoveround?
November 23, 200915 yr Hey, can you think of a more glamorous place to cruise around on your Hoveround? :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
November 23, 200915 yr <b>Locals Interested in Stopping the Columbus Casino</b> By Walker | November 20, 2009 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/jon-myers-chuck-hootman-columbus.jpg"> Issue 3 passed on November 3rd, awarding Penn National Gaming the ability to install casinos in four Ohio cities including Columbus. Voters in Franklin County opposed the casino proposal 58% to 42%, and so did every other Central Ohio county. A local movement is being started by Jon Myers and Chuck Hootman to remind Central Ohioans that just because Penn National is allowed to build a casino here, it doesn’t mean that they have to. MORE HERE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/locals-interested-in-stopping-the-columbus-casino Also, two local heavy hitters wrote anti-casino op-ed pieces in last Sunday's Dispatch. Mike Curtin is the former editor and COO of The Dispatch. Hugh Dorrian is the longtime City Auditor. This might not be a done deal here. Mike Curtin commentary: City leaders can stop casino plan in its tracks Hugh J. Dorrian commentary: Too much is invested in Arena District to put it at risk
November 28, 200915 yr Catching up on a couple of Arena District Casino related news items from earlier this week. It looks local opposition to the Arena District location is beginning to coalesce. Bills introduced to give Columbus voters say on casino Business First of Columbus Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 4:35pm EST Four state legislators introduced bills Tuesday that could give Franklin County voters another say on whether a casino is built in downtown Columbus. Companion resolutions in the Ohio House and Senate would place a constitutional amendment on the May 4 statewide ballot that would allow communities to opt out of having a casino through a local voter referendum. Introducing the legislation were Sens. David Goodman, R-New Albany, and Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, and Reps. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City, and Kevin Bacon, R-Minerva Park. The bills are in response to State Issue 3, which Ohio voters approved by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin Nov. 3. The constitutional amendment calls for casinos to be built in Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati. The ballot issue prevailed in the Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati areas, but 58 percent of the voters in Franklin County cast ballots against it. In addition, several key business groups, including the ColumbusChamber, Columbus Partnership and Experience Columbus, opposed the casino plan. Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/11/23/daily17.html
November 28, 200915 yr Coleman, Mentel on casino: 'not there' They oppose plan for Arena District Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 3:24 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus' top two elected leaders said yesterday that they don't want a casino in the Arena District, even though the location was set in a constitutional amendment approved this month by Ohio voters. Mayor Michael B. Coleman said he remains opposed to the casino plan -- which Columbus and Franklin County voters rejected -- while City Council President Michael C. Mentel said he wants "to see dirt turned as soon as possible, but on a site that central Ohioans can support." Both, however, said it should go somewhere other than the Arena District site specified in the amendment. In his first public comments about casinos since Election Day, Coleman said he will seek as much control as possible over any casino built in Columbus. But he said it's unclear what say local officials will be allowed over a development approved statewide but rejected by voters locally. Casino developers have said they are committed to working with local officials, but the amendment and their draft of proposed legislation to implement it say only that operations would be subject to local health and building codes. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/11/26/city_casino.ART_ART_11-26-09_A1_LNFQACO.html?sid=101
December 4, 200915 yr It should have been a hotel/casino combo instead of a stand alone building. Apparently the casino developers did not include a hotel so as to not compete with the planned Convention Center Hotel. They apparently did this to gain an endorsement from the CVB group behind the Convention Center Hotel, Experience Columbus. But Experience Columbus came out against the casino anyway. So why not have a hotel/casino combo now?
December 4, 200915 yr And speaking of people against the casino - here's two more from last Sunday's Dispatch. The first one is a Columbus Dispatch editorial. The second is from Ted Celeste, brother of former governor Dick Celeste and current Ohio House Representative from Grandview. Dispatch Editorial: Standing firm - Mayor, council president serve voters by fighting casino in Arena District Ted Celeste commentary: Casinos' attempt to skirt local zoning regulations is troubling
December 5, 200915 yr They could put it at Brice and I-70 No they can't. The location is written into the constitutional amendment.
December 11, 200915 yr Effort to move casino begins State legislature could go to ballot to force developer to new site Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 3:20 AM By James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Central Ohio lawmakers hope to persuade the would-be developer of a Columbus casino to move to a site out of the Arena District, state Sen. David Goodman said yesterday. But if the casino developer isn't willing to budge, state legislators and local officials have a couple of hammers to use against Penn National Gaming Inc., said Goodman, a New Albany Republican. The General Assembly could put a measure on the May 2010 ballot that would allow Franklin County to opt out of the voter-approved constitutional amendment allowing casinos in four cities. Also, Columbus could simply deny the casino site the public utilities necessary to operate a large business, Goodman said. "A potential compromise would be identifying a different place in Franklin County and getting all parties to agree to that and put that on the ballot," Goodman said at a hearing of the Senate's Government Oversight Committee. Penn National, which has the rights to casinos in Columbus and Toledo, wasn't biting yesterday. "We are committed to this site," spokesman Eric Schippers said of land along Nationwide Boulevard west of Huntington Park. "More importantly, this site is committed in the Constitution." Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/10/copy/CASINOREGS.ART_ART_12-10-09_B1_JOFUSFI.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
December 15, 200915 yr Penn National unveils initial plans as executives work to overcome opposition Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell Friday, December 11, 2009 Penn National Gaming Inc. is moving forward with plan to build a casino in Columbus despite heated opposition, even looking at the possibility of new ramps off Route 315 to make it easier for gamblers to reach the complex. The company remains committed to picking up the tab for necessary infrastructure improvements and is getting ready to conduct a traffic study to guide such investment, Penn National officials told Columbus Business First. The company is expecting an average of 10,000 people a day at the Columbus casino, which is to be built on a former manufacturing site off Nationwide Boulevard just west of the Arena District. The company is concerned the main entry point to the casino site at Neil Avenue and Nationwide Boulevard won’t be able to handle the traffic without other routes in and out, said Eric Schippers, a senior vice president with the Wyomissing, Pa.-based gaming company. From: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/12/14/story2.html
December 15, 200915 yr Developer of casino rejected other sites Cooper Stadium, Westland Mall will not be reconsidered Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 3:36 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Developers of the casino that Ohio voters approved last month for Columbus say they looked at other sites before settling on 18 acres in the Arena District. Eric Schippers, a spokesman for Penn National Gaming Inc., said areas such as Westland Mall and the former Cooper Stadium were dismissed and won't be reconsidered. "This is the site that's in the (state) constitution," he said. Central Ohio legislators said last week that they hoped Penn National would consider building its casino somewhere else in Franklin County as a compromise with the majority of local voters who rejected the casino amendment. If not, Republican state Sens. David Goodman of New Albany and Jim Hughes of Columbus said they will push for another statewide measure that would let anti-casino counties opt out of casino requirements. Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/13/copy/casino_locations.ART_ART_12-13-09_B1_VIFVR0E.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
December 15, 200915 yr City halts grant to clean up casino site Columbus wants refund of money already spent Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 3:21 PM By Doug Caruso THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus will withhold $651,000 in environmental cleanup money that the state approved for use at the Arena District site where developers plan to build a casino. And the city wants back nearly $99,000 already spent on the cleanup, Development Director Boyce Safford said in a letter today to Plaza Properties, which owns the site. That's because the company told the city when it applied for the money that the land would be redeveloped for condominiums, not a casino. Columbus applied for the Clean Ohio funds in June of 2008. Plaza Properties had told the city it planned to develop 243 condominiums and 15,000 square feet of retail space. The site was formerly Jaeger Manufacturing. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/15/casino-site-cleanup-money.html
December 26, 200915 yr Grassroots Group Asks Local Politicians To Fight Harder Against Arena District Casino COLUMBUS, Ohio — The leaders of a grassroots group of Columbus casino opponents are calling out local politicians for not stepping up the fight against an Arena District casino. You can see their website at http://www.cfcolumbus.com. Full story and video at http://www2.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/Grassroots_Group_Asks_Local_Politicians_to_Fight_Harder_Against_Arena_Distr/28792/
December 27, 200915 yr Campaign on to move casino site Sunday, December 27, 2009 3:36 AM By Bill Bush THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A campaign is under way to steer Penn National Gaming away from its plan to build a casino in the Arena District. "We believe that a casino could be positive for the city of Columbus" in terms of jobs and tax revenue, said campaign point person Lisa Griffin. She has been hired by the Columbus Partnership to organize a new group called Stand Up Columbus! to persuade Penn National to build its casino elsewhere in central Ohio. "We want Penn National to know that we will work just as diligently to make sure it doesn't happen in the Arena District," said Griffin, of the Columbus marketing firm Griffin Communications. Penn National's official response was to wish the Columbus group "Merry Christmas." Full story at: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/27/copy/casino_effort.ART_ART_12-27-09_A1_EHG3MS1.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
December 29, 200915 yr Group OK With Casino, But Not In Arena District Monday, December 28, 2009 - 6:32 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio voters have approved a plan to allow four casinos in some the state's largest cities, including Columbus, but now a group is trying to move the proposed casino site in the capital city away from the Arena District. The opponent group calls itself Stand Up Columbus. Armed with a new Web site, www.standupcolumbus.com, it hopes to get the proposed casino moved someplace else. "We're not anti-casino," said Lisa Griffin with Stand Up Columbus. "We simply think that the Arena District is no place for a casino." Beginning on Sunday, the group started going after residents with an online petition, and in January volunteers will go out in search of more signatures, 10TV's Brittany Westbrook reported. Full story and video at http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2009/12/28/story-columbus-casino-arena-district.html?sid=102
December 29, 200915 yr It looks like the various groups that are opposing Penn National's Arena District casino proposal will be gathering together on WOSU 820AM today at 10AM. From http://www.wosu.org/allsides/: Opposing Views to Columbus Casino TUESDAY, 12/29 (10:00 AM to 11:00AM) A range of views from opponents of a casino in Columbus, including efforts at the city and state levels to prevent or re-negotiate the terms of the Arena District casino, with Casino-Free Columbus co-founder Chuck Hootman, United Methodist Anti-Gambling Task Force Chairman Rev. John Edgar, State Senator David Goodman (3rd Ohio Senate district), and Stand Up Columbus co-chair Mike Curtin. CASINO FREE COLUMBUS STAND UP COLUMBUS
January 1, 201015 yr Casino builder is open to city's alternative sites Friday, January 1, 2010 - 3:17 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Columbus offered four alternative sites yesterday to Penn National Gaming Inc., which now says it is willing to consider locations outside the Arena District for its casino. Giving up the Arena District location approved by Ohio voters in November would require approval in another statewide vote, which could take place as early as May. Penn National said in a statement that it will entertain other locations "only to the extent it would result in us getting shovels in the ground faster in Columbus and does not create any additional risk or delay." The company has set a late 2012 goal for opening a Columbus casino. City officials suggested four alternatives to Penn National President Tim Wilmott: • Westland Mall, at Broad Street and I-270 in the Hilltop. • The former Delphi Corp. plant, east of the mall at Broad Street and Georgesville Road. • Cooper Stadium, the idle Franklin County-owned baseball park off I-70 in Franklinton. • Unspecified areas around Polaris Fashion Place, on both sides of I-71 in Delaware County. MAP OF THE FOUR POTENTIAL LOCATIONS Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/01/copy/altsites.ART_ART_01-01-10_A1_JUG5TCD.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
January 1, 201015 yr The more I think about it, the more it makes perfect sense to build a grand casino and hotel at the Cooper stadium site. First, you still have the proximity to downtown and by building there instead of the Arena District, they could eventually build a hotel that wouldn't compete with the new Hilton being built at the CCC. Can you imagine staying at a 15 to 20 story hotel built with fantastic views of the skyline? The casino would be right next to the freeway with easy access and to top it off this could start a trend that totally reshapes that part of the city. This would be a win win situation if you ask me.
January 1, 201015 yr It surprises me that Columbus doesn't seem interested in trying to use the casino for Downtown development. I would have thought it would make more sense to put it in Downtown near other attractions so that they could buttress each other.
January 2, 201015 yr I'm not surprised that there is so much opposition to the Arena District location. First, you have to remember that Columbus is not getting the Dan Gilbert developed casinos that Cleveland and Cincinnati are getting. Columbus and Toledo are getting the Penn National developed Hollywood Casino brand. The Hollywood Casino seems to be a much less urban compatible casino - go to www.hollywoodindiana.com to see what I mean. The renderings of the Cleveland casino look pretty good. But Penn National has still not released any plans or renderings for the Arena District location. They have only said that the casino will be one level, have an attached parking garage and would not include a hotel. Second, casinos are by their nature designed to attract people into the facility and to keep them in the facility. The Penn National version seems like a casino Wal-Mart. Any spin-off benefits to the rest of the Arena District would be very minimal. The casino's main benefit might be infrastructure improvements and site preparation at the Arena District site. But this area just had infrastructure improvements during the Huntington Park ballpark construction. Also, the proposed casino site was slated to be a residential/mixed use development site before the casino issue came along. Most people prefer the previous development proposed for this site over the casino that is being proposed. Third, if infrastructure improvements and site preparation are combined with the physical construction of the casino, then the three westside locations of either Cooper Stadium, Westland Mall or the Delphi Plant are far more attractive as urban redevelopment projects. My preference is for the Delphi location. Mostly because I don't see this "white elephant" getting redeveloped by any other means. And if a hotel was included with the casino, it might benefit the adjacent Westland Mall. This westside location also has the best freeway access, which seems to be necessary for the casino.
January 6, 201015 yr Hilltop opens arms to casino People at other proposed sites also support West Side as alternative to Arena District Tuesday, January 5, 2010 -3:09 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch There's not much of a battle brewing among Columbus neighborhoods that have been mentioned as potential hosts for a casino whose developers no longer insist on an Arena District address. Business owners and neighborhood leaders on the Hilltop say they'd gladly welcome Penn National Gaming Inc. to the city's West Side. Those in Franklinton and Polaris, two other areas suggested to the company last week by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, say they'd like to see the Hilltop play host, too. City leaders say they won't push a casino on any part of Columbus that doesn't want it -- and so far, the Hilltop is the only neighborhood actively promoting itself. "It's the spark we need for critical-mass redevelopment," said Chris Haydocy, president of his family's 55-year-old car dealership on W. Broad Street, just east of a former auto-parts plant and a largely vacant shopping mall that made the mayor's list. GRAPHIC OF CASINO OPTIONS Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/05/copy/casino_sites.ART_ART_01-05-10_A1_AVG6VEA.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
January 6, 201015 yr Westland makes the most sense. It's off I-270, area that actually wants it, good freeway access, "plenty of parking," may spark a suburban revitalization of a 1960's shopping area, blah blah. Polaris? No. Too much traffic to begin with. Cooper Stadium? I prefer it to STAY! The former Delphi Plant? 2nd best option. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 7, 201015 yr I like the Delphi location better if Wexner turns Westland into Weston. Of course, Weston could be built at Delphi as well.
January 7, 201015 yr I saw on the news last night that Scioto Downs is being thrown in the Casino mix! What does everyone think about that site?
January 7, 201015 yr ^Though it would probably work well, greenfield development is the last thing Columbus needs at this point. Even if it just replaces the track, I think it's too far from the core.
January 7, 201015 yr I saw on the news last night that Scioto Downs is being thrown in the Casino mix! What does everyone think about that site? The horse tracks of Scioto Downs and Beulah Park seem far less desirable from a redevelopment perspective. Besides that, I think Scioto and Beulah are slated to get video slots courtesy of the Statehouse. At least that was their plan at one time.
January 7, 201015 yr Looks like the Hilltop Area Commission came out officially in favor of a casino locating at either the Westland Mall or the Delphi Plant locations. Although it was by a 7-6 vote and at an overflow meeting with some residents speaking against it. Here's a couple of media reports about that: DISPATCH: Hilltop residents debate possible casino NBC 4: West Side Casino Supporters Regroup After Opposition
January 8, 201015 yr Now the Northland area is weighting in on the Columbus casino issue by offering up the Continent as a proposed location. Not a bad idea too. Below is an excerpt from the ThisWeekNews article and its link. It seems like almost every Columbus neighborhood would like the proposed Hollywood Casino, except for the Arena District! :-) Makes you wonder if Penn National did any research before selecting the AD location. Northland group: Casino could fit at Continent Thursday, January 7, 2010 - 2:09 PM By Kevin Parks, ThisWeek Staff Writer Not so fast, West Siders. Hold your horses, South Side racetrack owners. Some in the Northland area want to be included in the anywhere-but-the-Arena-District casino sweepstakes. And they feel they just might have the perfect location for a gambling mecca, one that trumps all the other proposed Columbus-area sites: The Continent. Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/northland/stories/2010/01/06/Continent-Casino.html
January 8, 201015 yr I-71 @ Rt. 161. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 8, 201015 yr I-71 @ Dublin-Granville Rd, it was happening in the 80s. The Northland area could use the investment, but I wonder if that area already has enough challenges as an undesirable post-war suburb with growing crime and the like.
January 8, 201015 yr Actually, isn't that area growing because of the expansion of Somalis? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 8, 201015 yr Where is The Continent at? You guys answered it before I could grab the google map - but here's a map anyway. MAP OF CONTINENT LOCATION The Continent is about a mile and a half north of the former Northland Mall on Morse Road. Which is closer to the core of the Somali business and neighborhood area. It would probably be more accurate to say that the Somali-owned businesses are replacing the previous business in that commercial area. Which is okay, but it seems like its maintaining business activity rather than an expanding it. Anyhow, the once thriving Continental has been looking at redevelopment ideas for the past decade. Don't know if the casino is viable or not, but its a great location. Heck, I'd support it just because of its proximity to notoriously conservative leaning Worthington!
January 8, 201015 yr The Continent was the Easton of the '80s. Will Easton be the Continent of the teens or '20s?
January 9, 201015 yr Well apparently there is one other location in central Ohio that doesn't want the casino besides the Arena District... :-) Polaris as casino site draws opposition Friday, January 8, 2010 - 2:54 AM By Dana Wilson and Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH DELAWARE, Ohio — Opening a casino in southern Delaware County would create a "crime magnet" and degrade the community's quality of life, Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost said. Yost wrote this week to Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman expressing concern over Coleman's suggestion that the Polaris area could be a site for Penn National Gaming Inc.'s casino. The company recently agreed to consider building the casino outside the Arena District, the site approved by Ohio voters in November. Along with Polaris, Coleman offered Penn National three other potential sites: Westland Mall and the former Delphi auto-parts plant near the Hilltop, and Cooper Stadium in Franklinton. Neighborhood groups on the North and South sides since have offered up other areas as well. Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/08/copy/polaris-casino-draws-opposition.html?sid=101
January 9, 201015 yr It is clear that in Central Ohio, the feeling is that this should go into a neighborhood that needs re-investment rather than into places that are already gathering investment. I have a sneaking suspicion that the casino operators may not want to be doing that. They want to be where the action already is, rather in places that have been declining. It will be interesting to see how this all develops.
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