Cavaliers owner presses support for Ohio casinos

KENT, Ohio — The majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers is defending a plan to put casinos in four Ohio cities.

Dan Gilbert is a chief investor in the proposal. He will face an opponent during a televised debate Monday at Kent State University.

Rob Walgate, vice president of the Ohio Roundtable policy group, will represent opponents of Issue 3, a ballot issue that if approved would change Ohio's Constitution and allow one casino in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

The debate will be taped at 4 p.m. and will air at 10 p.m. on ONN-TV, a news station that is available on cable systems in most Ohio counties.

Supporters of the November ballot amendment say casinos will create 34,000 jobs, while opponents say it will also cause jobs to be lost and would establish a lower tax rate than other states have for their casinos.