Casinos truly deliver as drivers of the economy

As the people of Georgia consider casino gaming, there are countless examples in other states of how gaming boosts communities and turns critics into proponents once the doors open. The fact is that casino gaming is no longer a niche, novel industry, but a nationwide economic engine.

Across 40 states, casino gaming contributes $240 billion annually to America’s economy, supports 1.7 million jobs and generates $38 billion in tax revenues in support of education and other important areas, according to Oxford Economics.

Adam Sacks, who conducted the Oxford study, described gaming as “a vast industry that boosts local communities across the country by supporting jobs and generating customers for businesses.”

In Las Vegas and in communities beyond Nevada, casinos serve as a potent catalyst to attract new businesses and bolster existing ones.

In Columbus, Ohio, the once-blighted West Side neighborhood has been undergoing a transformation since Hollywood Ca- sino opened there three years ago. The presence of the casino has spurred new development and retail projects, road improvements, a new park and a general sense of optimism. According to the head of the neighborhood’s economic development organization, “If it wasn’t for the casino, none of this would have happened.”

In Pittsburgh, Pa., Rivers Casino is serving as an economic engine for the city’s North Shore neighborhood, where casino owners helped to develop a beautiful, privately funded riverfront park while creating 1,800 jobs and generating $745 million in tax revenue over the last half-decade.

Further, as one of the most diverse workforces in the country, gaming provides a gateway to the middle class for workers of all backgrounds and experiences. And jobs are not limited to frontline employees; gaming offers more than 200 distinct career opportunities that include engineering, marketing, accounting, software development, security and surveillance and more.

The hundreds of thousands of people we direct- ly employ are key to providing a first-rate entertainment experience for millions of people each year. Some might be surprised to learn that typical casino visitors are between the ages of 21 and 59, and a plurality earns $60,000 to $99,000 a year. They’re also welleducated, churchgoing voters who contribute to their communities.

We’ve already begun to see casino critics in Georgia employ scare tactics about how the industry would affect Atlanta and the state at large. The greatest problem critics confront is overwhelming evidence of the positive contributions casinos make from coast to coast. We are a highly competitive business uniquely capable of creating thousands of local jobs, supporting small businesses and partnering with communities.

If Georgia decides to bring gaming to its state, it can do so knowing that the casino industry would be a strong and committed community partner.