The din of the chattering dealers rose and fell with fevered anticipation.
The employees, the politicians, the media personnel and the business people walked the granite floors of Hollywood Casino Toledo on May 29 with much urgency, mingling among models clad in feathered headdresses and musicians preparing to belt out the casino’s first tunes.
The commotion fell silent for 25 minutes as hundreds of people leaned toward a black and gold ribbon that symbolized the culmination of months of hard labor and planning.
“M*A*S*H” star and Toledo native Jamie Farr set the tone.
“William Randolph Hearst would envy this right now,” Farr said.
Farr reflected on how Toledo has changed since his childhood days inthe North End some 70 years ago.
“The closest thing we had to something like this was George’s Cigar Store on Superior Street,” he said. “It was a front; you’d go in there and buy cigarsand of course you’d go to the backroom and that’s where all the gambling was done. This, I think, outdoes it.”
Farr stood at a podium under the casino’s high ceilings, surrounded by220 televisions, 2,002 slot machines, 60 table games and 20 live poker tables.
Mayor Mike Bell called the place “unbelievable,” saying the casino is one of the elements that could help turn the city’s economy around.
“You walk in and see people who are smiling because they’ve been unemployed for so long and now they’re going to be able to actually take care of their families,” he said.
The casino hired 1,300 employees, 90 percent of whom are Northwest Ohio locals. Law mandates that Ohio casinos pay a fixed tax of 33 percent of their gross revenues, of which 51 percent will be distributed among Ohio’s 88 counties with half of each county’s share going toward its largest city if the population exceeds 80,000.
Thirty-four percent of the revenue will fund public school districts. Five percent will go tohost cities, 3 percent to Ohio Casino Control Commission, 3 percent to the Ohio State Racing Commission fund, 2 percent to state law enforcement training and 2 percent to state problem gambling fund.
The casino collected at least $100,000 during a May 24 VIP night alone. Proceeds went to charity. General Manager Richard St. Jean awarded both the Boys & Girls Club of Toledo and the YMCA checks for $50,000 from the earnings.
Bell cut the ribbon after the crowd counted down from 10. Doors opened to the public shortly afterward.
Dealer Robert Navarre, who awaited players at a Big Six table, said this is his first dealing gig. But he’s no stranger to casinos.
“I’ve wanted this to come here for a long time, I’ve gone to Vegas 10 years in a row so I’ve been ready for this for a long, long time.” he said. “This is better than Vegas — Vegas has nothing on this casino here.”
Officials said 15,000 people visited the casino on its first day
