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Split decision.

While Lawrence County waits for Mount Airy #1 LLC, the winner of Thursday's mini-casino license drawing, to announce where the highly anticipated, or hotly contested, gambling establishment will be located, members of the community are speaking out about the good and bad aspects of the industry.

Janet Falotico, executive director of Visit Lawrence County — the county's tourist promotion agency — said she is excited and thrilled that someone is thinking the New Castle area would be prime opportunity for a mini casino.

"I envision it attracting more visitors to our area," she said. "Who knows, more restaurants, more businesses, more hotels could come from something like this and it could just be the spur that we need. Western PA is in desperate need of attention. I think what will help New Castle and Lawrence County will also help our surrounding (counties) as well."

Falotico noted that the tourism promotion agency and the commissioners have written letters of support for such a venture coming into the county.

"The effort and time has gone into proving that we do have prime location here," she said. "We sit in a perfect spot for this."

READY AND WAITING

The county for many years had been trying to attract a casino and racetrack to property located along Route 422 in Mahoning Township. The proposal had been volleyed among different gaming and development companies over the years and ultimately, the prospect died last year after the township had gone to the expense of installing public sewer and water access and electric to accommodate the site, should the venture move forward.

Now the Mahoning Township supervisors still have a glimmer of hope, after all that expense, that this new prospect of a casino somewhere in Lawrence County could take form in their municipality.

"We're very happy that it's coming," Supervisor Vito Yeropoli said Friday. "We hope that they have their eyes set on coming to Mahoning Township because we have all the infrastructure in place."

He said the supervisors have had no conversations to date with Mt. Airy, and he does not know what the company's intentions are, but "we'll have our solicitor contact them.

"We're waiting to see what happens," Yeropoli said. " Hopefully the commissioners will keep us in mind, but it's a win for all of Lawrence County no matter where it comes."

He pointed out that the Mahoning Township site is "shovel-ready" and the zoning for a casino also has been approved there.

"All they'd have to do is come and build. We'd be willing to work with them in any capacity for tax abatements or whatever concessions we could to attract it here," Yeropoli said, adding, "but no matter where it goes, it's a win for everybody in the county."

LEGAL COMMUNITY CONCERNED

The law enforcement and courts end of the community are hesitant to speculate about what impact a casino would have in Lawrence County.

"It's something I can't predict," Lawrence County Common Pleas President Judge Dominick Motto said on Friday.

He noted that as the presiding judge over drug court, he sometimes sees people who are kicking addiction turning to another vice or addiction.

"I've seen people go through the justice system who have had to deal with gambling addiction, and what it does to them and their families is just as impactful" as those who are dealing with drug or alcohol addictions, he said.

"But the ability to gamble is everywhere," Motto reasoned. "People can go into a convenience store and gamble."

And while Lawrence County has no slot machine or casino availability right now within its boundaries, people who want to gamble will drive to do it — to the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, to Mountaineer Park in West Virginia or to Hollywood Casino in Austintown, as examples.

"I can't weigh in on an addiction impact here," Motto concluded, except to say only that "gambling addiction is a concern."

GAMBLING THE WRONG MOVE

Charles Wilcox, a New Castle resident, said elected officials have made the wrong move by enticing a mini-casino to locate within the county.

“I think it is a wrong move by the elected officials to bring (the casino) in,” Wilcox said. “I basically feel there has been a better plan. I have been against the casino since they started talking about it. I feel it would do harm to our community.”

Wilcox cited any of the 18 proposed projects in a business plan given to the commissioners as better options for the community and its residents.

“The business plan that was given to (the commissioners) a few years back, it presents a well rounded approximate of over 18 suggestions that can be done,” Wilcox said. “One of them is an automobile museum that would in turn bring other businesses that would come about – hotels, motels, restaurants, and an influx of tourism. That is just one suggestion of 18 that would benefit the economy. It would increase jobs, it would increase revenue and have an overall positive effect to Lawrence County.

“It is the wrong idea for Lawrence County. It is going to bring more drugs, crime, it will increase prostitution and will have a negative effect on families and senior citizens. We will have to increase police enforcement and social services for broken families and drugs and alcohol.”

TEARING APART FAMILIES

Pastor David Young of Prevailing Word World Outreach Center, said bringing a mini-casino to the county is only going to cause problems for the family unit.

“Well, to be quite frank, I am against it,” Pastor Young said. “I am disappointed it is coming. A lot of people think gambling is a benign form of entertainment. It devastates families and creates joblessness. That is why they have the flashing lights, they draw people in. When I went to college as a young man, one of the first reports I did was on gambling addiction.”

Pastor Young feels that with the casino comes more addicts.

“It is a devastating disease,” Pastor Young said. “It is going to hurt families ultimately. It will be an economic upturn, people will get jobs. On the downside families are going to break up and people will lose their jobs. It will bring in more crime as people will be apt to commit more crimes.

“The politicians are for it, and I understand why they are. As a spiritual leader and a voice in this community I am totally against it. I think the risks outweigh the benefits. We are already devastated with drugs. I know it is legalized gambling. I believe the risks far outweigh the benefits.”

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