If one were to examine license plates parked at the Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel parking garage, cars with Ohio tags can often be found. Whether those cars' owners will continue to travel to the casino once four casinos are built by 2012 in Ohio's four largest cities, however, is uncertain.
"We're monitoring Ohio developments on a daily basis," said Seneca Gaming Corp. Chief Operating Officer Cathy Walker. She said that customers do look for "convenience gaming," which may lead to Ohio residents choosing a closer facility rather than making the drive to Seneca Allegany. Ms. Walker said, however, she also thinks Seneca Allegany is "a beautiful destination" that offers other nearby attractions in skiing or other entertainment that may be worth the drive.
"I think it gives us a leg up," she said about service and amenities at Seneca Allegany, which, she said, give a welcome feeling to patrons similar to one they may associate with the television show "Cheers."
"I think Ohio patrons enjoy uniqueness," she said, adding Seneca Allegany offers that. Ms. Walker said casino staff will try to capitalize on that uniqueness, beauty, service and amenities in light of the Ohio vote. She said marketing initiatives are planned to draw Ohio and Pennsylvania customers. She is therefore remaining hopeful the Ohio vote will introduce people to the casino market that may lead them to Seneca Allegany. That, she said, may provide more of a customer base for the area casino.
According to a filing with the national Securities and Exchange Commission, about 70 percent of patrons visiting the Seneca Allegany Casino are from outside New York. The casino, the SEC filing states, attracts patrons from south Western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
"Seneca Gaming Corp. believes it is the premier gaming opportunity in Western New York and in areas of Northern Pennsylvania and Ohio," states the filing. Seneca Allegany's most imminent competition has been Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., reports the SEC filing.
Whether that will change with an Ohio vote to change the state constitution to allow for the casinos remains unclear.
Ohio voters cast ballots favoring allowing the casinos by a 53 percent yes to 47 percent no vote in November after a three-year debate on the issue that included five tries to amend the constitution. One privately-run casino in each of the cities of Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo would be built. The Ohio legislature now has six months to pass legislation to regulate the casinos allowing for their development and groundbreaking in about a year.
According to an editorial in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohioans spend about $1.4 billion a year in other states' casinos, including New York's.
So, how much of that will leave the Seneca Allegany remains uncertain. Located on the nation's Allegany Territory, on which most of Salamanca is built, the casino includes 68,000 square feet of gaming with 2,200 slot machines and 40 table games, a 212 room resort hotel, two fine dining restaurants, a casual restaurant, spa, entertainment center.