Ohio Lottery Commission takes $1.3M cut of Scioto Downs’ video-slot-machine revenue

The Ohio Lottery Commission raked in more than $1.3?million from the first nine days of gambling at Scioto Downs, which opened June?1.

Total revenue from the video-lottery terminals during this period was $4,055,833, said the commission, which received 33?percent of the pot, or $1,358,704. The remainder went to MTR Gaming, owner of Scioto Downs.

Scioto Downs is the state’s first combination racetrack and video-lottery-terminal casino — or racino — and is now open around the clock, every day of the year.

“We are pleased with the (video-lottery terminal) sales at Scioto Downs,” Lottery Commission spokeswoman Danielle Frizzi-Babb said. “The numbers are slightly above our original projections, and we are on pace to meet the projected monthly revenue of $3?million for the state.”

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $152?million racino will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Major-league baseball’s all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, will participate.

Michael Newsome, Scioto Downs’ director of marketing, said the official opening and special events could boost attendance and revenue in the coming months.

“What you’ll see is the number starting to ramp up,” he said. “We just sent out promotional mailings today to our club members and will announce a full lineup of promotions and entertainment events at the ribbon cutting.”

The state’s revenue projections are based on 1,500 video-lottery terminals. Scioto Downs is operating 1,787, with plans to add 300 this year as well as a large buffet.

The per-day “win,” or revenue per video-lottery terminal, at Scioto Downs is about $250.

“That’s a pretty good number,” said David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“Their number was higher than in some markets and not as high as others, but a solid number,” he said.

Thousands of people began pouring through the doors on opening day to play the slot machines. The action was so fast and furious that about 25?percent of the machines, which are monitored by the Lottery Commission through a central system, locked up and wouldn’t play.

All the machines were back online about 4 a.m. on June 2.

“We definitely experienced some interruptions, but those problems have been cleared up,” Newsome said. “That’s why we have a soft opening like we had, to work out any problems, and we believe things will really get going on (Tuesday).”

The racino will face local competition with Hollywood Casino Columbus’ expected opening in October.

“That’s why it’s important for (Scioto Downs) to build their customer base now,” Schwartz said. “ They want to give people a reason to keep coming back. If people like the experience, they’ll be back; if they don’t like it, they won’t be back.”

The state’s portion of the revenue will be used to fund education programs in Ohio.

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