Other plans include:
State Rep. Chris Redfern of Port Clinton, the House minority leader, said Thursday that in about one month, he will introduce a bill that would place the gambling on the ballot. His plan would create a limited number of gambling licenses for Ohio and let the market decide where they go. As licenses become available over a period of time, local communities and developers would be to develop a plan and apply. When a license is awarded, the local community would vote to decide if they want to allow gambling.

Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell backed the idea of a casino in her city, and is working on a plan to put the issue on the November ballot. So has Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken. Campbell's proposal would require 330,000 signatures, 5 percent from half of 88 counties. to put the issue on November's ballot to change the constitution to allow casino gambling. It would allow big cities such as Youngstown to vote on whether they want a casino.

And Ohio's horse racetacks are still pushing to expand gambling to replace decreasing revenue from bets placed on races. According to one published report, a group of government officials from northeast Ohio wants the Legislature to approve something similar to the Pennsylvania law that will allow slot machines at the tracks. Their plan also would allow slots parlors in cities such as Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and perhaps Youngstown.

None of this seems to bother Terry Casey, the Columbus-based consultant who is working with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma to develop as many as nine casinos in Ohio. The tribe announced Thursday that it had options on land in Lorain for a $100 million casino/resort, and last fall, it announced a $750 million project along Interstate 75 in southeast Ohio.

It is also working to secure land for a $300 million casino/resort in Lordstown.

Eastern Shawnee Chief Charles Enyart has met several times with Campbell, according to Casey. He would not predict that Campbell will join forces with the tribe, but he said she would not spend so much time with the Eastern Shawnee unless there was some potential for an Indian casino in Cleveland.

Casey also said the tribe has had discussions with track representatives and explored how the tribe and the horse racing industry can help each other.

However, some who support gambling are skeptical about the Shawnee proposal.

Patrick MacKondy is co-coordinator of a Youngstown group lobbying for gambling called Casinos for Ohio. He said the Shawnee are trying to take advantage of the inevitable expansion of casinos into Ohio, but thinks the process of getting federal recognition or compact with the state is iffy at best.

He said private casino developers and corporations "are aware of the initiatives being made by private groups to allow casino gambling in Ohio. They are just lying back in the bushes waiting to pounce. They know that their conventional Class III gaming casinos are far superior to what the Indians have to offer and will be a lot more advantageous and trustworthy'' for Ohio.

MacKondy predicted if a gambling issue appears on the November ballot, the casino corporations will "come forward with a ton of money'' to back the issue.

Al Oerweld, a member of Casinos for Ohio, questioned where the Eastern Shawnee would get the money to build as many as nine casinos. The tribe currently operates Border Town Bingo & Casino, which offers bingo and off-track betting.

Casey said the tribe has lined up backing from "Wall Street, pension funds and other Indian tribes'' that operate casinos if the Eastern Shawnee are able to secure premium locations in major population centers.

"There is no problem getting the financing,'' Casey said.

Considering that there are four casinos in the Detroit area, Casey said the northeast Ohio market is big enough to support casinos in Lorain, Cleveland and Lordstown, as well as slot machines at a race track. He said three casinos might actually underserve the regional market, which includes 4.5 million people in Ohio and another two to three million more in Pennsylvania.