Penn National would build a casino in Columbus in the Arena District.

"People do need jobs you know," said Pasquale Manzi, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus Building Trades Council.   "As everyone can see, the property where the casino would go isn't really being utilized.  It's ready to go, that place has been closed for years."

The excitement about new jobs comes on the same day the Columbus Chamber of Commerce announced the NHL's Blue Jackets may be leaving.

The Arena District employs more than 7 thousand people.  Many of the more than 170 businesses are dependent on the traffic generated by Nationwide Arena, home of the Blue Jackets.

Chamber of Commerce officials acknowledge that puts a new focus on the casino.

"Voters have said that they want this, so to me it's coming," said Chamber President Ty Marsh.  "And so the question is how does it integrate itself in our community?  But more importantly for us, our focus today is making sure we keep the Blue Jackets because that's the key catalyst there."

Penn National officials visited the Arena District site yesterday.  They have had strained relations with the Columbus business and political communities.  That may change though if jobs are in jeopardy.

"Now it's been voted in," said Paul Astleford, president of Experience Columbus.  "Now we're struggling to, for all practical purposes, understand what kind of partnership that's going to exist with this casino.  How they're either going to help with the destination appeal, or are they going to be significantly centered on their own focus."

The unemployment rate in Franklin County is above 8 percent.  Unions strongly supported Issue 3 as a way to create jobs.

"This is ready for development," added Manzi.  "The city will benefit, the county will benefit and I think it's a compliment to this Arena District.  What's there is not."

While the Columbus casino would create thousands of construction jobs, officials point out that a ground breaking couldn't happen until next year, with the casino opening in 2012.

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