COLUMBUS - Gov. Bob Taft extended a warm welcome to participants in a celebrity golf outing scheduled for this weekend, only to learn he'd inadvertently promoted an event held at an Indiana casino.

        The mistake came six weeks after Mr. Taft ordered travel brochures promoting Indiana casinos pulled from tourism kiosks run by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

        “Needless to say, there are some red faces around here,” Taft spokeswoman Mary Anne Sharkey told The Plain Dealer for a story Wednesday. “It was not his intention to promote casinos in Indiana or anywhere else.”

        Nevertheless, she noted that the event does benefit an Ohio charity, “which is why the governor supports it.”

        The outing, at Belterra Casino Resort near Vevay, Ind., benefits Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

        This is the third year the Fifth Third Bank/FOX 19 Celebrity Classic golf tournament has raised money for the hospital, but the first time it has been held outside Ohio.

        Asked about the letter Wednesday, Mr. Taft said, “it's in the category of, "No good deed goes unpunished.' ”

        “We're trying to help Children's Hospital down in Cincinnati and obviously, a mistake was made,” he said. “But these things are going to happen from time to time.”

        In a letter promoting the event, Mr. Taft extended his “warmest, personal greetings” to those attending the outing.

        “On behalf of all Ohioans, best wishes for a fun and enjoyable Celebrity Golf Classic!” the letter said.

        Marc McQuaid, executive director of the Ohio Travel Association, a nonprofit trade group for hotels, museums, golf courses and the state's tourism industry, was surprised to learn of Mr. Taft's letter.

        “We don't need the governor sending people's wallets out of Ohio like that - no matter what the reason,” he said.

        Mr. Taft has repeatedly said he opposes any form of casino gambling that isn't supported by a vote of the people.

        He also opposes legislative proposals to raise hundreds of millions of dollars annually by placing electronic slot machines at Ohio racetracks. Mr. Taft calls that plan a form of casino gambling.

        Ms. Sharkey said Mr. Taft wrote the letter after a request to his constituent services office.

        “It was a group wanting a letter from the governor and generally we do it,” she said. “Clearly, we meant to support a charity and a good cause.”

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