Hearing on Eastern Shawnee casino draws crowd

Tuesday, March 21, 2006  

A city council hearing in Massillon, Ohio, drew a packed crowd as residents debated the Eastern Shawnee Tribe's proposed casino.

The tribe, based in Oklahoma, wants the city to sign an intergovernmental agreement by the end of the month. Supporters say a casino will generate thousands of jobs in an area that desperately needs them.

But some question the impacts a casino will have on the community. They say the only ones who will benefit are the tribe and its backers.

The tribe is eyeing several sites in Ohio, its ancestral home, and has signed agreements with a handful of communities. The city of Lima is currently debating whether to join the crowd.

Get the Story:
Casino idea packs hearing in Massillon (The Akron Beacon Journal 3/21)
Sneary: County in control (The Lima News 3/21)