The Economic and Fiscal Impact of the Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan: Analysis of the Four Proposed Ohio Casinos
The Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, a sponsor of the casino ballot proposal, commissioned a study by the Economics Center to analyze the economic impacts of four new casinos in the State. While Ohio, and the nation, were suffering from rising unemployment in the midst of a deep recession, the positive economic benefits highlighted in the report provided casino supporters with compelling data. Ultimately, Ohio voters approved the ballot and construction began on the gaming facilities in the cities of Columbus, Toledo, Cleveland and Cincinnati.
The report determined that The Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan is estimated to generate nearly $11 billion in total economic
impacts and more than $4 billion in fiscal revenues for the state of Ohio during construction and the first five years of operation.
The economic impact on the state includes nearly $2.66 billion during construction and almost $1.5 billion during the first year of operations, with increases in each of the succeeding years. The four proposed casinos are also estimated to generate $256 million in fiscal revenue for the state during the construction phase and $663 million in the first year of operations, with increases in the subsequent years. In addition, the total near-term impact of the casino proposal is more than 23,000 construction-related jobs1 statewide, as well as more than 15,000 permanent jobs2 from ongoing operations.
Please click on the link below to read the full executive summary, or to request the full report, complete this simple request form (report will be available for download immediately).
1 These jobs will have an average duration of 12 months.
2 The employment estimates are comprised of both full- and part-time positions, but it is not possible to separate the two categories of employment because government data does not distinguish between full-time and part-time.
Executive Summary:
“The UC case study on the impact of our signs was simple to participate in. The researchers were knowledgeable and easy to work with. Their requests were concise and respectful of our time. They reported findings in a manner that protected the confidentiality of our financial numbers.”- 
“The Economics Center has proven to be a great partner and an excellent resource to Cadmus. Their knowledge about the local community and economy—coupled with their analytic capabilities—have been important components of our evaluation and very well received by our client. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the Center.”- 
Julie has extensive experience in labor economics, particularly applying statistical methods to decision-making. She is proud to be a part of a professional, creative research team that brings a variety of approaches to addressing the issues of the larger community. - 
“The Economics Center partnered with ACEEE in providing a first-of-its-kind market study on the potential for energy efficiency investment in Greater Cincinnati. As a non-profit organization that has attracted nearly $20m of public and private investment in three years, we believed the Market Study is a critical building block in helping us achieve our goals.”- 
George’s major focus areas are regional economics and human capital. With his colleagues at the Economics Center, he continues to apply lessons learned in those fields to economic development and workforce development.
“We needed to communicate the value of our institution in the local community and the Economics Center’s economic impact analysis helped us accomplish that goal. They were very easy to work with and met our expectations. We will certainly utilize their services for economic analysis in the future and would recommend them to others.”- 
“We understand that great economic analyses is valuable only to the extent to which it can be understood and utilized. That is why our approach converges the science of research and the art of storytelling.”- 
Jeff has worked with leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, designing and implementing economic development and research projects in response to diverse community issues.
“We're very pleased with the results of this study. Often times, when people think about arts and culture organizations, they do not take into account the economic benefits that come with the educational and entertainment benefits. That was one of our main goals when commissioning this project." 
“The Economics Center brings analytical expertise and valuable insights that helps our clients to develop and, then, communicate key messages. The research team understands we are in a world increasingly dependent on data for decision making. The Center is an important partner in our business and a valuable resource to our community.” - 
“As a research-based organization, Cincinnati Works relies heavily on the type of data and analysis the Economic Center provides. Their ability to analyze economic trends and assess the impact they have on job seekers and workforce development is valuable to the work that we do here at Cincinnati Works.” 
“The TIF Model is intuitive, easy and flexible for report to the Township Trustees to help them understand the resources that Deerfield Township may have available. The Trustees really appreciate having a tool that can inform planning for the future, beyond the upcoming year.” 
“The Center worked to understand our community and our needs. They developed a set of custom economic indicators for Newaygo County, MI. We believe that this information is critical for expressing unique assets of our community and in making important decisions for our economic vitality.” -