Ohio: Fighting over crumbs

Monday, Dec. 24, 2012

$30M from casinos may not be shareable

Library, cities and townships have asked county to share casino taxes, but it might not be legal.

 

By Tiffany Y. Latta

Local cities and townships that want a share of casino money from Clark County government may face an uphill battle.

The County Commissioners Association of Ohio has raised questions about whether counties can legally give municipalities money unless it’s for a specific project or service, such as funding roads.

“There is a serious legal question if the county can simply give money to other political subdivisions through an appropriation,” CCAO Director Larry Long wrote in a memo sent to county leaders with “talking points” on revenue sharing requests.

The Hollywood Casino Toledo, Horseshoe Casino Cleveland and the Hollywood Casino Columbus combined have brought in more than $293 million in total revenues. So far the casinos have sent more than $59 million in taxes to the state, with about $30 million of that designated for Ohio’s 88 counties and eight largest cities.

Clark County has received more than $360,000 from the casinos as of late October, including a single payout that month of more than $239,000. Champaign County has received more than $104,000.

The memo to county leaders comes months after the New Carlisle Public Library requested $50,000 and New Carlisle, Bethel Twp. and Springfield also asked for a share of the county’s casino money.

Municipalities and townships say the money is needed because of local government fund cuts and other reductions as a result of the 2012 state budget.

Several townships have asked for a share of casino money, Ohio Township Association Director Matthew DeTemple said, but his organization hasn’t taken an issue on the matter.

But he said because state cuts have hit smaller communities hard, legislatures have acknowledged that there is a need to redistribute local government funds.

“There’s no harm in asking, but there’s also no legal obligation for them to do that,” DeTemple said.

Clark County Administrator Nathan Kennedy said the county has no plans to spend casino revenue or distribute it to area municipalities and other entities for at least a year because current casino revenue estimates are unreliable.

“I just don’t think it’s prudent. It doesn’t mean no, it just means not now,” Kennedy said.

Long’s memo reiterates that point, saying the financial performance of casinos are already “significantly less than anticipated.”

“The value of receiving casino revenues is extremely speculative. We remain critically concerned with this revenue’s reliability and performance. And the limited experience we do have suggest we are well found in our concerns,” Long wrote.

Long also advised officials to obtain a legal ruling from a prosecutor before sharing any casino money and to remind municipalities of the services county governments pay for, such as the county jail, mental health and human services.

He also said voters approved casino revenue allocations to counties and schools, and any change would require an amendment to the state Constitution, an option township supporters say they aren’t currently pursuing.

The Hollywood Casino Columbus, which opened Oct. 8., brought in more than $18 million in it’s first month and more than $20 million in revenue in November.

Counties receive four payments annually from casinos, with the first distributed this past July. The next payment for the county is at the end of January. School districts will receive two casino payments per year, with the first coming at the end of January

Revenues from casinos in Toledo and Cleveland have dropped since June, said Long from the county commissioners association, and he speculated that all of the casinos will likely see a decline when racinos — slot machines at race tracks — open. He also said counties are “under a threat” to lose additional local government funds in the 2013 state budget.

No one wants a fight between smaller communities and counties, Long said, but instead want the entities to fight to restore money cut in the last state budget.

“We all got cut. All of us got the double whammy. We understand the problems they have … A lot of small municipalities and townships are hurting. We’d love to see the restoration of some of that funding, but we won’t know until February,” Long said.

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/30m-from-casinos-may-not-be-shareable/nTcrt/

Columbus, Ohio: For $400 MILLION, What Do You Get?

Massachusetts elected officials had a delusion that mandating a $500 MILLION investment, that extravagant Destination Resort Slot Barns would fill the Massachusetts landscape. 

The Union push in Massachusetts for Predatory Gambling can pretend, fantasize and sprinkle Fairy Dust, but $500 Million is a Slot Barn as evidence proves. 

Ohio's 3rd, largest casino set to open in Columbus

• The Associated Press
• Posted October 8, 2012

COLUMBUS, Ohio — COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The new casino in Ohio's capital city is opening to the public.

The $400 million Hollywood Casino Columbus opening Monday is expected to draw 3 million visitors annually. The 475,000-square-foot facility owned by Penn National Gaming Inc. includes about 3,000 slot machines, a poker room and four restaurants.

It's the third and largest of four casinos approved by Ohio voters.

It's also the one that will have the most direct competition initially. The casino west of downtown is roughly 10 miles from Scioto Downs, Ohio's first horse racing track to get slots-like gambling machines.

The casino's general manager has said he's not concerned about the competitive environment because he believes there's a deep market in the Columbus area.

Casinos in Cleveland and Toledo opened previously. Cincinnati's casino debuts next spring.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/08/ohios-3rd-largest-casino-set-to-open-in-columbus/

Ohio Gamblers bet less for second straight month

Published: 9/8/2012

Report: Ohio casino wagers show 11% drop from July

Gamblers bet less for second straight month

BY TYREL LINKHORN
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

Gamblers bet less money at Ohio's two casinos for a second straight month in August, with statewide wagers falling about 9 percent from July.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission released its monthly statewide casino gambling report Friday.

The numbers show Hollywood Casino Toledo took in $168.2 million between its table games and slot machines last month, down 11 percent from $189.1 million in July.

[This represents money sucked from the local economy.]

The casino paid back about 90 percent of that in winnings, with the commission reporting gross revenue after payouts at Hollywood Toledo of $17.4 million on the month. In July, the casino posted a gross revenue after payouts of $19.1 million. The figures relate to gambling income only and do not include food, drink, or other merchandise sales.

Officials with Penn National Gaming, which operates Hollywood Toledo, didn't return calls seeking comment.

Currently, two of the four approved Ohio casinos are up and operating -- Hollywood Casino Toledo and Horseshoe Casino in downtown Cleveland.

Casinos in Columbus and Cincinnati are expected to open this fall and next year, respectively.

Gamblers in Toledo and Cleveland wagered a total of $349.8 million in August, down from $383.8 million in July.

In June, the first full month of operation for both casinos, gamblers wagered $417.8 million.
Tama Davis, communications director for the casino control commission, said the regulatory body expects it will take some time to establish what is normal in terms of revenue and wagers.

"We're very early into this process in growing this industry in Ohio," Ms. Davis said. "I think the baseline is going to come when all four are open and have been open for a certain period of time."

The vast majority of gambling in Toledo was done in slot machines -- just 10 percent of August's wagers were made at the casino's 80 table games. Horseshoe's table games were a little more popular, with the casino's 94 table games making up about 23 percent of total wagers.

The commission report shows both casinos paid out a higher percentage of wagers at the slots. Toledo's August slots payout was 91 percent, while the table games payout was 78 percent. In Cleveland, the slots paid out 89 percent, while the table games paid out 82 percent of wagers.

Cleveland's adjusted gross revenue was $22.8 million in August, down about 5 percent from $23.9 million in July.

http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2012/09/08/Report-Casino-wagers-show-11-drop-from-July.html

Columbus, Ohio: Preparing for Crime

Columbus, Ohio • Sep 08, 2012

Casino policing details not all ironed out

By Josh Jarman

The Columbus DispatchSaturday September 8, 2012

Enlarge Image

Brooke L aVALLEY | DISPATCH

 

Jo Ann Davidson, chairwoman of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, officiates a swearing-in ceremony for undercover officers.

With a month before opening day, law-enforcement officials still are working out how to handle policing in and around the new Hollywood Casino.

Those close to the discussions say those details will be settled before the casino’s scheduled opening on Oct. 8. But questions remain about shared responsibility for crimes that cross jurisdictions and the use of off-duty officers in the casino.

Also undetermined is what will happen should the state’s new gaming-enforcement agents arrest someone on casino grounds. There is no plan for who transports that person to jail or who pays should that person need medical attention.

Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott said that concern was first raised during a meeting of law-enforcement and Ohio Casino Control Commission officials in May, but no agreements have been reached during subsequent meetings.

“It’s a big issue,” Scott said. “If the casino authority arrests someone, how do they get them to my jail? The city is going to say, ‘You catch ’em, you clean ’em.’  ”

Columbus Deputy Chief Richard Bash said the city doesn’t transport prisoners for other jurisdictions because of liability issues. He wants bad guys to know that they’ll figure it out, though, if the need should arise.

“If someone is there and they have to go to jail, they’ll go to jail,” he said, adding, “even if I have to put them on the back of my bike.”

Karen Huey, enforcement director for the control commission, said she understands that details such as prisoner transportation still need to be worked out, but it’s not the commission’s first priority because it hasn’t been a major issue in Cleveland and Toledo, the first two cities to open casinos.

In those casinos, the state’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation polices gambling for the commission. In Columbus, the commission will have its own officers; the first class of the state’s gaming-enforcement agents was sworn in yesterday.

Because those officers will deal mostly with gambling-related crime such as cheating or collusion, it’s unusual for the commission’s agents to have to make an immediate arrest, said Matt Schuler, the commission’s executive director.

In most instances, the person will be served with a summons or a case will be built with more investigation and the person later indicted, he said.

The situation in Columbus is unique because so many jurisdictions touch the casino property, which was annexed into the city from Franklin Township. While Columbus police have jurisdiction over anything that happens that’s not gambling-related on casino property, Franklin Township police and the sheriff’s office share jurisdiction in most adjacent areas.

That’s why bringing everyone to the table is so important, Bash said. He said a meeting next week among casino-commission employees, local law enforcement, casino representatives and city and county government officials will attempt to hammer out some of the last-minute concerns.

Columbus police already have said they will not hire any more officers specifically for casino enforcement. Scott’s office is preparing to ramp up patrols in the area soon after the casino opens.

The sheriff got permission to start a new class of deputies this summer, and the Franklin County commissioners on Tuesday are expected to approve buying 11 new patrol cars, mostly for casino-area enforcement.

Casino representatives confirmed yesterday that they will be hiring off-duty law-enforcement officers to work at the casino, at least initially. How many and where they will come from has not yet been determined, said Bob Tenenbaum, a Penn National spokesman.

Before that announcement, Bash said having off-duty officers there to handle security helps because it means an immediate response when there’s an assault or other nongambling crime.


http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/09/08/casino-policing-details-not-all-ironed-out.html

 

Patricia Ann Stanz blames gambling addiction

Ex-Gesu worker admits embezzlement

Patricia Ann Stanz blames gambling addiction

BY ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Patricia Ann Stanz tries to shield her face as she leaves U.S. District Court in Toledo. THE BLADE

A tearful Patricia Ann Stanz admitted in federal court Wednesday that a gambling addiction prompted her to steal from Gesu Roman Catholic Church more than $525,000 which she had been entrusted to oversee.

The former business manager for the West Toledo parish pleaded guilty to criminal charges in U.S. District Court in Toledo.

Stanz, 61, who said the thefts occurred over a three-year period, acknowledged guilt for one count each of counterfeit securities and of fraudulent use of access device.

She will be sentenced Jan. 14 by Judge James Carr.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Tom Karol said in court Stanz had "total control of the church's books and financial records."

"This was one of those crimes fueled by the vice of gambling and a gambling addiction," he told Magistrate Judge James Knepp II.

In particular, Mr. Karol said that between June, 2008, and February, 2011, Stanz generated nearly 100 unauthorized checks totaling $295,000 that were drawn from the parish checking account.

She did this by using her own name as one of the two required signatures and a rubber signature stamp as the other, Mr. Karol said.

Of those checks, Stanz wrote about $250,000 worth to herself, about $15,000 to petty cash, which she cashed, and about $25,000 to an engineering company owned by her husband, Mr. Karol said.

Either she or her husband would cash the checks, but her husband was told that the checks were made out to the company for "reasons other than fraud," Mr. Karol said.

Stanz also pleaded guilty to using a credit card that had been issued to Gesu Parish for her own expenses, primarily cash advances.

Mr. Karol said that between September, 2008, and August, 2011, Stanz fraudulently obtained about $200,000 in cash advances, which accrued about $7,800 in fees, as well as used the card for personal expenditures on 280 occasions for a total of about $18,000 in purchases.

Restitution would be required as part of the sentence.

Although the charges carry a combined maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, a preliminary assessment of sentencing guidelines indicate that Stanz would face between 30 and 37 months in prison, Mr. Karol said.

Attorney Andrew Hart, who was appointed to represent Stanz, said the defense is still looking at the information to determine restitution.

Mr. Hart told Judge Knepp that although Stanz was pleading guilty to the charges, she was not necessarily agreeing to the amount of restitution.

Stanz was tearful as she left the courtroom.

She declined to comment on the case, as did her attorney.

Also declining to comment were members of the parish who attended the court hearing.

Judge Knepp continued the $10,000 unsecured bond, including conditions that Stanz stay away from any legal or illegal gambling as well as have no contact with any gambling establishments or individuals associated with gambling.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Courts/2012/09/06/Ex-Gesu-worker-admits-embezzlement.html

Note: There is no mention of her source of Gambling Addiction. There is no indication that those
funds will be recovered from the Gambling Facility.

Toledo Pledge blots out gambling problem

The Gambling Vultures wrote legislation, plastered Ohio with $$$ and got a referendum passed after numerous attempts - snookering voters into supporting flawed legislation written BY, FOR and OF the Gambling Industry.  Keep watching this one!

Toledo Pledge blots out gambling problem

by Elizabeth Reed

Toledo Pledge blots out gambling problem Posted: August 14, 2012

Elizabeth is the Internet Managing Editor for WNWO.

With the opening of Ohio's first casinos this year, elected officials and community leaders are now joining forces to help those with gambling problems.

The Toledo Pledge utilitizes city and county experts as resources for people addicted to gambling, as well as support for families. Members of the religious community, social services and law enforcement signed the pledge at a launch event on Monday.

Leaders recognize the economic boom that the new Hollywood Casino has brought to the area, but they are also concerned about the 5 to 7 percent of the casinos patrons thought to be problem gamblers.

"The Toledo Pledge is all about informing citizens in our workplace or in our neighborhoods or in our churches that if they realize they have some of the symptoms of problem gambling that they can get help." said Tina Skeldon-Wozniak (D), Lucas County Commissioner.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you can call the United Way at 2-1-1 or the Lucas County Mental Health Board.


http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=788075

Ohio: Protecting the Predator

Will any state ever prosecute a Casino for receiving stolen funds?

Will any state ever prosecute a Casino for allowing a Gambling Addict to spend beyond his/her means?

Will any state ever prosecute a Casino for deriving most of its profits from Gambling Addicts?

That's the problem when government betrays its citizens and partners with a Predatory Industry.

7 indicted for illegal gambling at Cleveland Horseshoe Casino

Published: Tuesday, July 03, 2012

By Plain Dealer staffThe Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, in conjunction with
the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Casino Control Commission, filed indictments today against seven defendants charged with illegal gambling at Cleveland's new Horseshoe Casino.
State and local officials had said in mid-June that they were preparing to pursue charges of casino cheating.

First offenses of the state's casino-gaming law are fifth-degree felonies, with maximum penalties of a year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

According to a news release from Mason's office, indicted were: Nidal Abuaun, 49, of Lakewood, Nathaniel Emory, 40, of Cleveland, Russell Heidenreich, 46, of Cleveland, Aaron Higdon, 29, of Cleveland, Philip Koch, 54, of Lakewood, Theodore Shepherd, 53, of Cleveland, and Louis Wilkerson, 30, of Akron.

The indictment says that all seven were found cheating at the Horseshoe Casino between the dates of May 22, 2012, and June 17, 2012.

These are the first criminal charges leveled against patron's of the new casino since it opened earlier this year.

The defendants were each caught cheating on various casino games such as Black Jack, Texas Hold ’Em, roulette and craps by either past posting, making a bet after the time allowed, capping/stacking a bet, adding chips to a bet after a good outcome is predictable, or removing bets on losing hands/rolls.

“Ohio now has statutes in place to address crimes committed in the new casinos," Mason said in a prepared statement.

Experts have said that new casinos are breeding grounds for cheats and police reported that casinos in Cleveland and Toledo have already been targeted by con artists.

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/cheating_indictments_issued_ag.html