Sucker's bet

MyOhioNow.com is the latest gambling concern not to take “no” for an answer from Ohio.

The casino concern announced plans Thursday to seek 402,225 signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall that would allow a super-size casino hotel complex to be built in quiet little Wilmington, about 50 miles north of Cincinnati. The signatures presumably would be from people who didn’t vote down the last two Ohio gambling referendums.

Lyle Berman, casino operator and co-founder of the World Poker Tour and member of the MyOhioNow coalition, told reporter Alexander Coolidge that the 200,000 square feet of gambling space he wants to lay out would be bigger than the three Southeast Indiana casino boats combined.

Wilmington, now known for a small Quaker college, would become a “destination,” according to the news account. Eventually the promoters want to add an auto super-speedway, a second hotel and more gambling tables. Of course there will also be a 12,000 square-foot day-care center. Berman called it a “spark plug” of economic development for the state with 5,000 jobs, a 1,500-room hotel, 4,000 slots and almost unlimited suckers.

Actually, I added that last part. But Berman estimated the place would pull in $500 million to $800 million in gambling revenue per year and he promises to cut all 88 Ohio counties in for 30 percent in equal per-capita shares. Just to be clear, that $500 million to $800 million would be generated by people making losing bets. And Berman estimated 70 percent to 90 percent of the joint’s customers would come from within 65 miles, which includes Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus.

Maybe those Ohio voters who said “no” the last two times were onto something.