Elyria’s Chronicle-Telegram is reporting that Lorain city council is mulling a way to enable poker tournaments at a Lorain bar/billiard lounge.
“State law only allows government facilities, veterans halls, sporting facilities and fraternal organizations to host gaming festivals for charity. Kennedy’s Billiards could only host such an event if the city leased it for a short period of time. The city would be reimbursed.”
I don’t think charity is the chief motive for the billiard lounge proprietor. As with any business, the chief motive would be to profit from this “charitable” activity. I don’t mind businesses making profits, as long as everything is above-board, but snaking through dubious legal loopholes doesn’t pass the smell test with me.
Ted Strickland, as governor of Ohio, though, has opened the Pandora’s Box, however, with his reversal on gambling expansion and his making a mockery of the Ohio Constitution with his VLT slots/lottery/racetrack scheme. We can expect more of this erosion of Ohio’s statutes as Strickland continues down his current path. As Ohio’s chief executive officer, he should be foremost in upholding the law, but, instead, he’s leading the charge to subvert the law.
Buckeye RINO 
August 30, 2009 at 8:45 am
[…] Lorain city council ripping a page from the Strickland playbook? […]
November 13, 2009 at 11:30 am
DJW,
It’s another money grab by the city administration,local businessman…I voted for this why?
I have heard that the state liquor board has a problem with Kennedy’s as a host because it sells liquor and will not allow it as a venue, so now we got this,
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/10/14/lorain-charity-poker-may-start-halloween-weekend/
Kennedy get’s $250 and city get’s $200 and city council get’s a kick in the behind, I don’t about council ripping a page from Strickland’s playbook now with the passing of Issue 3 we now have gambling in Ohio.
November 13, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Thanks for commenting. I think some of the blame for passing Issue 3 also falls on Strickland. The whole dynamic of the casino campaign changed once Ohioans learned that Strickland was making a serious bid to get lottery slots installed at the racetracks. A number of Ohioans, at that point, felt that the white flag of surrender to gambling expansion lobbyists had been raised, and it gave strength to the casino issue. Kennedy also made his pitch to city council after Strickland’s complete betrayal of his prior position on gambling.
The people voted on Issue 3, so I’m not going to cry about it, but I still know it’s the wrong path to head down.