New Casino in Monroe?
If the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of West Seneca, Oklahoma, had at one time shown interest in building a Casino in Monroe, no one really knows what has become of that proposal today. No progress has been made in that area and the city has not had any recent communications with the Indian tribe.
Before the casino project was approved by Ohio voters in November 2009, the city manager, William Brock, is said to have spoken to a tribe official. The plan proposed then involved building gaming halls in Cleveland, Columbus, on Cincinnati area real estate, and Toledo.
“We have not had any discussion with them. It’s up in the air what they plan to do,” he said.
“We’re not sure even if they have any options on any ground here in Monroe and any different ground that they might be looking at. We would have to amend the agreement we had with them because the original agreement was for that ground down by Butler-Warren Road on Corridor 75. It was specific to that piece.”
The site proposed by the Eastern Shawnee tribe for the Casino was Monroe’s Corridor 75 Park, a site that lies southeast of Interstate 75 and Ohio 63. However, neither the tribe nor the property owners renewed the option for the purchase of the land.
When the Monroe’s Corridor 75 Park site option didn’t work out, the tribe proposed building a casino on a 123-acre site at the southeast crook of Greentree Road and Interstate 75 in Monroe and Turtle Creek Twp. in Warren County. The property was owned by Mike Berns, of Berns Garden Center & Landscaping (who do great landscaping for the many beautiful Cincinnati OH homes for sale). Some believe the tribe has options on that land.
The original proposal, the tribe wanted roulette and slot machines in the Casino. This required a Class D-4, which was not yet legal in the state back then. But legislation has changed, and Class D-4 is now is legal in the state.
“Since it’s been approved in the state by a ballot initiative, I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be able to get it now,” says Councilman Bob Kelley.
If the Eastern Shawnee is, indeed, serious about building a casino in Monroe, they will have to take the matter back to the Council for its approval. A lot of time has elapsed since the last round of talks and fresh dialogue needs to start to get the project off the ground.