Classic 1930s art deco meets the high-tech gaming world of today, 10TV's Kurt Ludlow reported.

"I think if you put this property on the Strip, this would be a must-see property in Las Vegas, even though it's here in Lawrenceburg, Ind.," said Tony Rodio, Hollywood Casino's general manager.

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Lawrenceburg is a picturesque town of 4,800 that plays host to 4 million visitors a year.  Hollywood Casino helped put the southeastern Indiana town on the map.  It is the largest riverboat casino in the U.S.

The casino would be about the same size that Penn National Gaming will put in Columbus' Arena District.  It will be about 300,000 square feet, or five football fields in a row.

Hollywood Casino contains 3,200 slot machines, 88 table games and a 41-table World Poker Tour power room, Ludlow reported.

About 10,000 people take their chances at the casino each day, helping it rake in more than $30 million a month. 

Many of Hollywood's Lawrenceburg customers come from other states.

Randy and Karen Heflin, who live in Columbus, said that they go to the Indiana casino about once every three months just for fun.

They said that they would much rather spend their money closer to home and that was why they voted to bring casinos to Ohio.

"At 65 mph, our money is literally leaving our state and I thought to myself, you know, we'll keep our own money in our own state for a change," Randy Heflin said.

John Thomas, who lives in Washington Court House, said he was at the casino for the second time in a week.  He said he won $200 as soon as he sat down. 

Thomas said that he does not mind driving to Lawrenceburg from Fayette County.  If all goes as planned, he said he will visit Hollywood Columbus every day.

"I think it's great," Thomas said.  "I'm semi-retired and I hope to go to Columbus and get a job working in the casinos."

Lawrenceburg's Hollywood Casino employs about 2,000 people and has business deals with 3,000 outside vendors.  It pays tens of millions of dollars a year in taxes, Ludlow reported.

The city said crime has not been a problem.  Rodio said that they have been a good neighbor.

"I think the benefits far outweigh any of the negatives," Rodio said.  "The negatives are very small and minute."

The other Penn National Gaming casino will be built in Toledo.

Rock Ventures will build casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for additional information.

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