Alexander Coolidge

acoolidge@enquirer.com

Ohio's casinos employ 4,844 permanent workers – about two-thirds the projected number during the 2009 campaign to authorize Las Vegas-style gambling.

The casinos opened with 6,600 permanent casino – but have shed nearly 1,800 jobs amid tough competition.

While cutting into casinos' market share, seven Ohio racinos have created an additional 4,400 permanent positions.

Almost five years after Ohio voters legalized casinos, the state's burgeoning gambling industry has struggled to create the 17,000 jobs promised during the 2009 campaign.

So far, casino properties have generated more than 14,000 jobs at casinos – 9,600 temporary construction jobs and 4,800 permanent casino workers at the four properties in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo since opening between May 2012 to March 2013.

The casinos actually started with almost 1,800 more permanent jobs before high turnover and unforeseen competition – from racinos – took their toll:

• Cincinnati's Horseshoe has 1,320 workers, down 22 percent from the 1,700 workers at opening.

• Cleveland's Horseshoe has 1,495 workers, down 7 percent from the 1,600 workers at opening.

• Hollywood Casino in Toledo has 953 workers, down 27 percent from the 1,300 workers at opening.

• Hollywood Casino in Columbus has 1,076 workers – slightly more than half the 2,000 workers when it opened.

All told, Ohio's casinos have shed nearly 1,800 jobs since opening and currently employ 4,844 workers – about two-thirds the projected number during the 2009 campaign to authorize Las Vegas-style gambling.

Casino officials say their plans took a sharp turn after Ohio officials in 2011 decided to authorize video slots at the state's seven racetracks – creating unforeseen "racino" competition. All but one of those properties have opened statewide, flooding gamblers with their choice of outlets. The last racino is scheduled to open Wednesday outside Youngstown.

"Our revenues are not as high as projected due to racino competition," said John Payne, president of Caesars' central division, which includes Ohio. "Ohio has become a very large gambling state in a short period of time."

Amid all the new casino and racino openings, Greater Cincinnati's gambling employment has grown and transformed. In 2009, three Southeast Indiana riverboat casinos employed almost 3,900. Now, seven gambling outlets from Dayton, Ohio, to Florence, Indiana, employ nearly 5,600 – up 44 percent.

Even with racinos, casino hiring 'reasonably close'

Casino officials say they've largely kept their campaign promises. They provided good jobs – most that don't even require a college degree – during tough economic times. Those jobs include dealers to preside over table games like poker to servers at casino restaurants.

"The bottom line is casinos statewide delivered reasonably close to what the estimates were – even with racinos," said Hollywood spokesman Bob Tenenbaum. "And the industry produced those jobs when Ohio and the economy were just starting to recover."

Casino officials say they've adjusted schedules but haven't laid any workers off. Gambling officials say high industry turnover has made adjustments look worse: The casinos deliberately "staffed up" at opening because they knew hundreds of their newly trained workers would discover the 24-hour, 7-days-a-week industry wasn't for them.

While racinos don't generally employ as many workers as full-blown casinos, the seven racinos have also created almost 4,400 permanent positions on top of casino jobs.

Jeff Rexhausen, senior research associate at the University of Cincinnati and co-author of the 2009 economic impact study that was the basis for campaign promises, said legalization of racinos threw off all the gambling industry's projections.

"Racinos came along and ... the market changed," Rexhausen said. "When casinos were first proposed, they were to be the one place to gamble."

Here in Cincinnati, the Horseshoe has proved to be a lifeline to some underemployed workers or those looking to switch careers.

Chad Rogers, 27, of East Price Hill said he needed a change from a marketing job he had at a struggling small firm. He took a job as a slot attendant at the Horseshoe and is collecting a steady paycheck to the tune of more than $35,000 a year.

"I needed a change in pace – the business seemed like a fun place to be," Rogers said, adding Horseshoe's promote-from-within culture has him thinking he might crack back into marketing at the casino.

Jamie Amis, 27, of Amelia also needed to make a change. More than three years ago he was a policeman in the United Kingdom before he met and married his wife, Megan. He needed a job in America, and law enforcement wasn't an option because he wasn't a citizen.

Amis joined the security team at Horseshoe but has since been promoted twice. He's now a training and engagement specialist, helping coworkers improve their skills and build the company's sense of community.

"It's been very gratifying – before I never really thought about being a leader with people under me," Amis said.

Rugenta Asakwa, 24, of Fort Mitchell found stability at the Horseshoe. Originally from Camaroon, Asakwa was making ends meet working at Wal-Mart and two other jobs, including as a barista at a hotel coffee stand. She now works as a hostess in the casino's Diamond Lounge.

"I'm trying to find things to do on my days off – because for two years, I never got a day off," Asakwa said.

Gambling boats shed workers, but the casinos compensate

Amid the flurry of new gambling outlets, Greater Cincinnati has had a front-row seat to the industry's volatility.

Since opening 18 months ago, the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati has battled to overtake the Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg as the region's No. 1 casino. The Downtown gambling spot has raked in the most gambling revenue six out of eight months this year.

But Horseshoe has shed almost 400 jobs as a spate of new local racinos has intensified the competition: Miami Valley Gaming in Turtlecreek Township opened in December; Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center in Anderson Township opened in May; and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway opened last month.

Still, between casinos and racinos the region has gained permanent jobs: In 2009, the region employed nearly 3,900 at three riverboat casinos in Southeast Indiana. Since then, the riverboats employ 1,300 fewer, but the four new gambling outlets have created almost 3,000 new positions. ■