The Observer, April 28, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 26
Cleveland on Fire: Development of casinos not ideal for Cleveland
Many politicians, citizens, and developers in Northeast Ohio want Cleveland to become something else; they want the next Chicago, New York, or the American version of Barcelona without realizing that this city should be built upon its own unique laurels.
Proponents of casinos believe that with legalized gambling, Cleveland could become a player and attract travelers to its slot machines, neon lights, and poker chips. However, any casino built here could never be even in the same league of competition with Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or Windsor – the three largest gambling attractions in North America.
Las Vegas is the grand pearl, home to countless casinos and constantly building more. It is the Mecca for bookies and wide-eyed tourists. For those travelers leery of the west, Atlantic City dominates the East Coast with its well established casinos. Lastly, Windsor owns the younger demographic for those United States citizens looking for a legal poker game and beer. On a purely physical basis, Cleveland could never compete with those three cities due to the past century's economic development.
Well what about all the gamblers in the Midwest? Could Cleveland become a regional host to millions of dollars through casinos? Most likely not, considering that Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Niagara Falls are three major population centers with casinos open or on the way. Add to the equation multiple smaller operations and the situation is left with the Northeast Ohio attraction alone.
Gambling proponents would claim that this retention and consolidation of money would be the foothold that helps get downtown Cleveland over the top. Silver bullet proposals such as that, although appealing as they may seem in press releases and speeches, are simply smoke and mirrors.
Economic impact studies from nearby cities have shown that although casinos appear to bring in money to a city, the overall economy simply shifts instead of increasing. Dollars that were once spread out over neighborhoods and different merchants are instead spent in one shiny casino with craps, a performer, restaurant, and hotel. In Cleveland this could mean the decline of the Warehouse District or the East 4 Street District – two robust neighborhoods that have excelled due to their character and quality.
Furthermore, there are many questions behind the politics of legalized gambling. A statewide initiative would have to lead to a ballot-vote in a state that becomes more conservative every day. Once gambling gets approved, Cleveland will most likely not become the only player in the market. There are many different proposals ranging from river boats to simple slot machines to full-blown casinos attached to a new convention center in many different cities.
As more and more states jump on the gambling bandwagon, there will likely be a casino near every major metropolitan city. At this point, there is no economic sense to put great faith in a casino as a drive or magnet for the Northeastern Ohio economy.
