Casinos In Detroit Not Very Successful
New casino usually means many new workplaces, money for the workers and that the money stays in the state. Casinos attract people living near casinos and tourists, but at the same time, casinos have an effect on local business and people living there. Most people choose the casinos in Detroit when they are looking for “something to do”. Because of that many people who run some kind of business near a casino say that since the casino has opened, they have more customers. “Casinos are the rivals against our businesses” said Fred Dally, the owner of Medicine Chest, a Detroit seller who offers for example lottery tickets, alcoholic drinks, food and changing a check into money. “When people change their checks into money in the casino, they are going to lose that money in the casino,” he said. Supporters of the casinos say that they definitely have a positive influence. MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown Casino and MotorCity Casino pay state and city about $200 per year as a gaming tax and they give jobs to about 7,900 people. Also, about 1,000 local businesses like building companies, bakeries and plumbers work for the casinos. But Casino Windsor, across the Detroit River in Ontario, brought only half of the money for the tax. And critics say it offered too few jobs to reduce the city’s unemployment which is 14%. There are about 80% of people who visit Casino Windsor are from the United States. However, between 14% and 30% of gamblers at three casinos located in Detroit are from the city. Additionally, the casinos have a profit lower than national level by one third.
Casinos say they want to attract other people, not only those who come only for one day, but to do that they need to become larger. However, they cannot because there is a six-year-old lawsuit defining the selection process of the city’s casinos. Casino experts say that the casinos in Detroit have helped the money not to go to such places as Las Vegas, but stay in the city.
