Amusement park CEO blasts tribal gaming industry

Friday, April 1, 2005  

The CEO of the Cedar Fair amusement park chain who wants a casino of his own blasted the Indian gaming industry as unregulated and unfair in hopes of keeping off-reservation casinos out of Ohio.

In letters cited by news reports, CEO Robert Kinzel claims tribal casinos do more bad than good. ''I have seen firsthand what the effects have been on the local community,'' Kinzel wrote. ''In addition to being a sovereign nation paying no taxes, the Native Americans can acquire land, thus taking it off the tax rolls.''

Kinzel has said he should be given a shot at opening a casino at the Cedar Point, Ohio, amusement park. His company also operates a park in Minnesota near the successful Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in the Twin Cities.

"Local businesses will suffer," he said in a letter. "Cedar Point will become a sideshow for many tourists. The family atmosphere of the region will be devastated."

Get the Story:
Cedar Fair CEO rails against Indian casinos (The Morning Journal 4/1)
Cedar Point would want gambling deal, too (The Cleveland Plain Dealer 4/1)