By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Getting opinions about whether Hamilton should try to bring riverboat gambling to town is as easy as pulling the arm of a slot machine.

City Councilman Richard Holzberger hit a nerve when he recently proposed exploring the legality of attracting a riverboat casino to the Great Miami River in the city's slumping downtown.

"I'm disappointed that our leaders would stoop to that level to find funding options for Hamilton and Butler County," said Ray Riddick, an ordained minister who is dean of students at Twinbrook Hills Baptist Church in Hamilton. "I think it's a desperate move. You look at places like Atlantic City and Las Vegas and see the crime and the prostitution."

For the counterpoint, there's Kevin Ott, a 38-year-old Hamilton resident.

"I think it's a great idea because of the tax revenue it could bring in," he said. "Look what it's done for Lawrenceburg. The money's there. But I don't think there's a snowball's chance in Miami Beach that it will happen."

No one knows the odds against the riverboat casino. At Holzberger's request, City Council last week directed Law Director Hillary Miller to find out whether there's a loophole in state law that would make Hamilton exempt from the riverboat gambling ban.

Holzberger believes that Hamilton's status as a charter city might be the loophole. If Miller says there is a legal possibility for riverboat gambling, council will direct the city staff to investigate the ramifications of having such an enterprise in Hamilton.

Holzberger's proposal has also produced reaction among Hamilton's neighbors.

"You've got to give him a pat on the back for thinking outside the box," Fairfield City Councilwoman Jill Kinder said. "But - and it's a big but - it's not a wise direction. Crime statistics prove gambling is not a good thing. We won't be doing it in Fairfield. This council wouldn't allow it."

West Chester Trustee Catherine Stoker said she hoped Hamilton officials would carefully investigate the impacts gambling brings to a community. But, like many, she is skeptical that the plan will ever come to fruition.

"And is this going to attract the kind of business that Hamilton desires?" she asked.

Warren County Commissioner Mike Kilburn was surprised that Holzberger - a former Butler County sheriff - would propose gambling.

"He has arrested people that have had poker games at little restaurants and arrested people with poker machines in their restaurants," Kilburn said. "So for him now to come out and say, well, I'm a city councilman and we have a city that needs economic development and we're going to go gambling to get it, is the wrong approach."

Hamilton Police Chief Neil Ferdelman said if Miller determines that it would be legal to place a riverboat casino in Hamilton, he will investigate the possible impact on crime and report to council.

"Certainly, any of us in the city administration are excited about any way to enhance revenue," he said. "But I don't know at this point whether there is a down side in terms of crime."

Some Hamilton business leaders think the idea is worth investigating.

"I'd be interested in listening to the pros and cons," said George Schmidt, president of an organization of downtown property and business owners called the Special Improvement District. "Let's see if gambling would enhance our community or not. Let's get all the facts and then make a decision."

Kenny Craig, president and CEO of the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said council is handling the issue the right way.

"The city needs to see if it's legal and then do a feasibility study to see if it's something that the community would accept and that would be successful," he said.

A riverboat casino would provide income tax revenue for the city and sales tax revenue for Butler County. Last year, the Argosy Casino and Hotel in Lawrenceburg generated $25.1 million in local tax revenue. Lawrenceburg kept half and distributed the rest to communities, schools and libraries in Dearborn County.

Tom Nye, former Hamilton mayor, said the potential financial bonanza might outweigh the possible negatives.

"Done well and done appropriately, the potential risks can be minimized," he said. "Any time we can make Hamilton a destination place, it's a positive."

Patricia Schmitz, 61, of Hamilton, agrees, saying the extra revenue would enable Hamilton to provide badly needed services, such as public transportation.

Adam Cherry, an 18-year-old Hamilton resident, said a casino would be a boost to downtown. "More people would want to come here."

Jennifer Edwards contributed to this report. E-mail skemme@enquirer.com, jedwards@enquirer.com.