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Casino Possibly Relocating to West Side

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Started 2 years ago by agtw31
Latest reply from Twixlen

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Core_Models
Columbus
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From the Dispatch:

The developer of a Columbus casino apparently has settled on the former Delphi auto-parts plant on W. Broad Street as its choice for the development.

An announcement is planned Tuesday morning.

Penn National Gaming Inc. officials could not be reached today, but sources said they have settled on the Delphi site as the best alternative to the Arena District location listed in the constitutional amendment approved by Ohio voters in November.

That last paragraph being the key. None of this is coming from Penn, and I have to wonder if it isn't the Franklin Township guys sourcing the information. Not sure why they'd be so excited, since Columbus plans on just annexing the land away from them anyway LOL!

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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Right and I remember reading that Franklin county shot the idea down last week.

Posted 2 years ago #
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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rory wrote >>

JonMyers wrote >>
Just got off the phone with someone.
Supposedly the city will be making an announcement tomorrow.
I'm still a bit baffled by the whole thing. There is a process that has to happen (a big ass, expensive process) before they can "just build" on the Westside.
My guess (a wild guess) is that they are trying to smooth the arrival of Penn execs for the CMC panel this week.

Color me disappointed, I thought my Wednesday lunch was going to be a little more exciting?!

LOL - wish I could make it. I'm headed for warm weather tomorrow morning.

Posted 2 years ago #
pez

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misskitty wrote >>
Lets do the same to Wal-mart they suck just as much.

Wow, that came out of left field!

Posted 2 years ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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pez wrote >>

misskitty wrote >>
Lets do the same to Wal-mart they suck just as much.

Wow, that came out of left field!

Yeah, no kidding. While I'm not a fan of WalMart, I'd say that this has little to do with a casino.

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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yea sorry about that. carry on

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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You know, the more I think about this, even if a deal is reached and an amendment passed to relocate, Penn isn't going to do so if there's a potential for a loss on the AD property.

Wonder if the city has promised to buy it at a profit if the amendment to relocate passes. Funny, but I am suddenly seeing the anti-casino movement ending up spending a whole lot of their own tax dollars to build a casino...just building it less than 10 miles away.

Posted 2 years ago #
agtw31
columbus
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this whole cainso episode should be proof enough this city is still just a small town with a big university in it.

the media is one big clusterfuck of dis-information,the politicians in this town can't remember who their friends or enemies are,and of course,the corporate players sit back and laugh at Columbus.

this is even worse than the tom moody "im not drunk,im inspecting the city" bullshit that the Dispatch just accepted with no questions asked.

Posted 2 years ago #
MikeReed

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Core_Models wrote >>
You know, the more I think about this, even if a deal is reached and an amendment passed to relocate, Penn isn't going to do so if there's a potential for a loss on the AD property.
Wonder if the city has promised to buy it at a profit if the amendment to relocate passes. Funny, but I am suddenly seeing the anti-casino movement ending up spending a whole lot of their own tax dollars to build a casino...just building it less than 10 miles away.

Well, that would be quite scandalous.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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agtw31 wrote >>
this whole cainso episode should be proof enough this city is still just a small town with a big university in it.
the media is one big clusterfuck of dis-information,the politicians in this town can't remember who their friends or enemies are,and of course,the corporate players sit back and laugh at Columbus.

Something tells me it proves whatever you want it to prove. I mean, casino ends up in the AD, it's just proof that Columbus is still a small town because it can't resist the influence of big corporations. (shrug)

Posted 2 years ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Core_Models wrote >>
From the Dispatch:

The developer of a Columbus casino apparently has settled on the former Delphi auto-parts plant on W. Broad Street as its choice for the development.
An announcement is planned Tuesday morning.
Penn National Gaming Inc. officials could not be reached today, but sources said they have settled on the Delphi site as the best alternative to the Arena District location listed in the constitutional amendment approved by Ohio voters in November.

That last paragraph being the key. None of this is coming from Penn, and I have to wonder if it isn't the Franklin Township guys sourcing the information. Not sure why they'd be so excited, since Columbus plans on just annexing the land away from them anyway LOL!

I think Franklin Township would be excited because it's the best of both worlds for them (you know, if this had even a whiff of reality) - they get rid of a blighted property, that potentially needs extensive clean up, and it becomes someone else's problem. Not only all that, but that same property is developed, leaving the Westland property under their wing, and allowing them the room to have the property redevelop and gain the tax bucks.

You know, if this didn't all feel like some crazy shell game that Penn is playing. In an alternate universe where people have actually noticed the westside is still there.

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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You know, if this didn't all feel like some crazy shell game that Penn is playing. In an alternate universe where people have actually noticed the westside is still there.

LOL...how is this a shell game Penn is playing???

It wasn't their idea to find a new spot for the casino, this isn't their game at all.

As far as how Franklin Township would feel, the casino is going to mean millions in tax revenue for the city that hosts it...that Franklin Township won't get if its annexed to Columbus. So basically Columbus says we don't want it, lets put it in Franklin Township, but then lets take that land from Franklin Township so we still get the host city taxes.

Not sure how you see that as a great deal for Franklin Township...

Posted 2 years ago #
agtw31
columbus
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Bear wrote >>

agtw31 wrote >>

Something tells me it proves whatever you want it to prove. I mean, casino ends up in the AD, it's just proof that Columbus is still a small town because it can't resist the influence of big corporations. (shrug)

im not speaking about the casino,im talking about the idiots that run this town.

Posted 2 years ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Core_Models wrote >>

You know, if this didn't all feel like some crazy shell game that Penn is playing. In an alternate universe where people have actually noticed the westside is still there.

LOL...how is this a shell game Penn is playing???
It wasn't their idea to find a new spot for the casino, this isn't their game at all.
As far as how Franklin Township would feel, the casino is going to mean millions in tax revenue for the city that hosts it...that Franklin Township won't get if its annexed to Columbus. So basically Columbus says we don't want it, lets put it in Franklin Township, but then lets take that land from Franklin Township so we still get the host city taxes.
Not sure how you see that as a great deal for Franklin Township...

I feel like Penn is playing the city. Oh, sure, we're researching those other sites that we said we looked at - oh, the XXX is interested? To me, Penn has the power - they already have the amendment.

Really, though, it feels like everyone (the city, Penn, the media) is playing the public. Look over here! Look over there!

And - if the city takes Westland, Franklin Township has nothing but the blighted Delphi property. With Penn looking at the Delphi property (in my optimistic moments I think the city will look out for the township), the township at least has something developers might look at. Somewhere (here?) I read that because of frontage and some specific acreage issus, the city can annex the Delphi property without the township's consent.

I dunno. I live pretty nearby and have no idea what to think. My initial gut instinct was HELL NO, no casino; then tiime goes by and I start to think maybe it could actually help West Broad. I swing back and forth on it hourly.

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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I dunno. I live pretty nearby and have no idea what to think. My initial gut instinct was HELL NO, no casino; then tiime goes by and I start to think maybe it could actually help West Broad. I swing back and forth on it hourly.

That right there could also be part of the city's game. They don't want it in the Arena District so maybe they think the more they can switch the mind of the opposed people of the west side the better chance they have to get people to agree to a move. They can do this by constantly telling people it will be there and people will give in to the idea and let the guard down.

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Yeah, the plan has been all along that if Penn chooses either Westland or Delphi the city intends to annex it so they get the host city taxes. As far as Penn playing anyone, Penn could have just said "no" to looking at other sites, as you said yourself, they own the land currently stated in the constitution to hold a casino. End of the day, its going to be VERY interesting to see what the city had to promise to get them to even consider this alternate location, because it had to be a helluva lot.

Posted 2 years ago #
tree_sketcher
Columbus
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There are a lot more interests in the AD site than just the City of Columbus. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot of deal-making going on here behind the scenes.

Posted 2 years ago #
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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That was the worst of all sites, in my opinion. If built out west, I will not be a visitor. However, I'm not sure I'm believing this.

A. they just bought the site a week ago

B. they would have to go back to the ballots to get the amendment, if voted upon, which wouldn't be until May.

C. if Columbus wants its share of the money, it has to go through annexing procedures, which sounds like a debacle and a half.

D. The area is so much less attractive for a casino than any of the other areas. I would think anyone investing 250+ million would consider the surrounding entertainment options that compliment a casino, or the lack thereof.

Posted 2 years ago #
somebuckeye
Franklinton
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At this point, I think Penn is blowing smoke up our collective asses. We'll see what happens come spring.

Posted 2 years ago #
agtw31
columbus
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somebuckeye wrote >>
At this point, I think Penn is blowing smoke up our collective asses.

penn national doesn't own the Dispatch

Posted 2 years ago #