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Sunday, May 19, 2013 | 1:00 a.m.

Posted: 4:47 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013

Casino revenues rise in February

By Eric Schwartzberg

Staff Writer

Ohio casinos saw revenue gains in February, and totals for the state increased compared to January earnings.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission report released Thursday reflects February gaming revenue from venues in Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo, as well as last week’s controlled demonstration at a Cincinnati venue.

Adjusted gross revenue for all four casinos — the money received by casino operators less winnings paid to patrons — increased from $53.2 million in January to $55.5 million, a 4.3 percent gain.

Rock Ohio Caesars operates the Horseshoe casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Penn National Gaming Inc. — the company planning a racino for Dayton — operates Hollywood casinos in Columbus and Toledo.

Revenues for the Cleveland casino rose from $20.7 million to $22 million, a 6.7 percent increase that continued its streak of highest adjusted gross revenue among the casinos.

Revenues in Toledo rose from $14.3 to $14.8 million, a 3.3 percent increase.

The Columbus casino, which has been facing increased competition from video lottery terminals at Scioto Downs Racino, saw its AGR rise from $18.3 million to $18.5 million, a 1.2 percent gain.

Revenue at Scioto Downs was $11 million in February, an 8.1 percent increase from January, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission.

The casinos seem to be following the typical casino trend of revenues spiking, dipping then reaching a plateau, according to Tama Davis, spokeswoman for the commission.

“If you look at the past three of four months, it seems as if there’s been a leveling out and numbers have been fairly consistent,” Davis said.

A closer examination of the revenues won’t be possible until year-to-year averages can be determined for all four casinos, she said.

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, which opened Monday, collected $227,752 in AGR during a Feb. 27 invite-only preview.

The casino split its share of the proceeds — $152,595 — between non-profits ArtsWave, the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Freestore Foodbank’s Cincinnati Cooks and Talbert House, then added $1,850 in non-gaming proceeds for each organization, according to Rock Gaming.

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