INDIANA DEBATE PARALLELS LOCAL VOTE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. Riverboat gambling is a hot topic in this Ohio River city. Whether such a venture is in the cards for Evansville depends on the voters.

Voters in Vanderburgh County, where Evansville is located, will decide that issue Tuesday -- the same day that voters in Cape Girardeau and Scott County will decide the fate of similar gambling measures.

Evansville has a population of about 120,000, while the metropolitan area comprises about 250,000 people.

But while the city of Evansville is nearly four times the size of Cape Girardeau, the issue of riverboat gambling is being fought along the same lines in both cities.

For proponents the issue is economic development: More jobs and increased tax revenue.

Opponents, primarily those involved with church groups, view it as a moral issue. They also doubt a floating casino would bring prosperity to their community.

"Our message has been economic development. We have worked really hard getting that message out," said Gail Tuzzolo, a political consultant from Boston who is coordinating the Yes Committee's campaign in support of riverboat gambling.

She said the election will mark the first time that Evansville has held a "stand-alone" referendum.

Tuzzolo said Wednesday that riverboat gambling would mean jobs for the Evansville area.

"We're looking at 800 new, good-paying jobs. We are looking at $5 million in increased local tax revenue," she said. "We're looking at $16 million in new paychecks per years."

Indiana's gaming law allows for a maximum of 11 riverboat casinos along the Ohio River and the shores of Lake Michigan. Only one riverboat casino will be licensed in any one county, Tuzzolo said.

In Evansville, there are seven gaming companies seeking the one slot, including Players International, which operates a boat in Metropolis, Ill. The number of jobs involved ranges from almost 900 to 1,600, depending on the development.

Tuzzolo said gambling proponents are taking a conservative approach in talking of 800 new jobs.

The venture would mean $30 to $40 million in economic development for the Evansville riverfront, gambling proponents say.

"We're being very conservative, but we estimate that there will be $24 million spent annually with businesses in Evansville as a result of the riverfront development," Tuzzolo said.

"We anticipate 63 percent of the revenues resulting from the riverboat will come from outside the four-county area," she noted.

The Yes group also estimates a floating casino will attract about 500,000 visitors a year while the gaming companies own estimates range from 1 million to 1.4 million.

"All the figures I gave are based on 500,000 visitors to the boat," Tuzzolo said.

"I am very optimistic," she said when asked if the gaming measure will pass. "I think we will win. I think it will be close though."

Under Indiana law, if voters reject riverboat gambling in a particular county, the issue cannot be put back on the ballot for two years.

Gambling proponents, including the gaming companies, are spending about $250,000 in an effort to win voter approval of the ballot measure.

And that's just in Evansville -- one of 10 places in the state where riverboat gambling is on next week's ballot.

One of those places is neighboring Warrick County, where a floating casino has been proposed for the Ohio River town of Newburgh.

Bob Seymore, director of operations for a large church in Evansville, complains that if gambling proponents get their way, there would be a floating casino "on every corner."

Seymore is one of the leaders of Citizens Against Riverboat Gambling.

"There is economically no question there are jobs to be had through riverboats. However, we contend that most of the jobs are going to subtract from jobs in the community because it is a diversion of discretionary income," he said.

"Economically, you could make somewhat of a case (for riverboat gambling) when people were driving two or three hours to get to a riverboat," said Seymore.

That's not the case anymore, he said. With more and more boats on the water, a gambling boat at Evansville would only be drawing from about a 50-mile radius, he maintained.

The boats, he said, create an economy within themselves, complete with their own restaurants and often hotels, while forsaking the rest of the local economy.

"In effect, if they say they are giving us $5 million that basically means they took out $100 million," said Seymore.

The gaming companies have proposed substantial developments. "What we found was Disney World," said Seymore, who argues that there's no assurance that such proposed developments would actually take shape.

Seymore said three Evansville area economists have come out against the gambling measure. "Basically, they say it is pie in the sky and isn't what it is cracked up to be."

Both Seymore and the Rev. Ed Sandford, another of the leaders of the anti-gambling group, contend that economics aside, it's a moral issue. The churches, and in particular the Methodist and Baptist denominations, have been particularly active in opposing riverboat gambling.

"Gambling itself promotes covetousness," said Sandford, a minister at Evansville's Bible Center Cathedral. He said it's based on greed.

Both Sandford and Seymore said the anti-gambling group is being greatly outspent in this election. They said the group will probably end up spending no more than $10,000.

The riverboat gambling issue is being fought from the pulpit, they said. "You're almost a pastoral outcast if you are not on the (anti-gambling) bandwagon right now," said Seymore.

A recent television poll in Evansville suggests the vote will be close, with 53 percent favoring riverboat gambling.

Sandford won't make any predictions, but he's looking ahead to the day after the election. "When we get all through with this thing, we all have to be neighbors again."