Wednesday, May 19, 1999
Casinos could need luck in Covington
Leaders don't think city would benefit
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Finding strong support for casino gambling here might be as tough as being dealt a royal flush.
“I can work up no excitement for casino gambling,” said attorney Chris Mehling, a longtime member and officer of the Covington Business Council.
“I think it should go to a vote of the people, and I would probably vote against it. I just don't see how gambling could really help Covington's downtown.”
Gov. Paul Patton has opened the debate over casinos in Kentucky, saying tax money generated by gambling could be used to boost the thoroughbred racing industry while paying for urban renewal and environmen tal restoration and protection projects.
Though he has not endorsed casinos, Mr. Patton has said the General Assembly should consider legislation that would allow voters to decide the issue.
If approved by voters, these casinos should be located in hotels that are near convention centers, the governor says. With new riverfront hotels and the recently opened Northern Kentucky Convention Center, Covington would be a natural.
But many business owners, social service workers, politicians and residents say Covington might not be the right place.
Covington City Commissioners Jim Eggemeier and J.T. Spence said they oppose the idea.
“These are supposed to be cash cows for a city, but with
the other development we have going on and planned for the city, do we really need casinos?” Mr. Eggemeier said.
“If the legislature puts it on the ballot, I really don't think the people would vote for it,” he said. “We have a past here of illegal gambling in the '30s, '40s and '50s, and I think that would influence people to be against gambling.”
Mr. Spence said he thinks casinos create a false economy that provides little benefit for a community.
“I haven't seen any data that makes me believe a casino is a good investment for a local community,” Mr. Spence said. “I think there are other ways, such as through education, to make a long-term investment and really benefit a community and its quality of life.”
Alan Berstein of Bensons Inc., the owner and operator of riverfront restaurants and BB Riverboats, said he enjoys casinos but doesn't necessarily want to see one in Covington.
“Socially and economically for a community, I think casinos are very bad things,” he said. “They hit a lot of people who can't really afford to play ... and they take an awful lot of money out of circulation that would be spent on other attractions.”
Tom DiBello, executive director of the Covington Community Center, says he has a certain amount of ambivalence about casinos.
“But I think I lean toward the bad,” he said. “I'm originally from Philadelphia, and casinos were going to be a financial nirvana for Atlantic City. But that didn't happen. People made money, but for the most part it was the casino owners. The neighborhoods around the casinos didn't really prosper.”
Covington neighborhood activist Chuck Eilerman said large-scale professional gambling can help a community foster growth and development.
“But Covington has a pretty substantial record of achieving economic growth in other ways,” he said. “I'm not saying (gambling) is a totally bad thing. I'm just not sure it's needed in Covington.”
Tommy Behle, owner of Behle Street Cafe in the RiverCenter complex, was at the other end of the spectrum.
“A casino would draw a lot of business into Covington,” he said. “It would fill the hotels, and it would give us another attraction to add to what we already have going on here.”
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