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September 7, 2006
Candidates for governor break fundraising record
AP, via Newsday.com
A story about fundraising in the Ohio governor's race contains this tidbit about an Al Ratner campaign contribution and its possible relevance to Forest City Enterprises's (FCE) plans to expand into casino gambling:
[Republican candidate Ken Blackwell] received a $9,000 donation from Albert Ratner, whose family controls Forest City Enterprises. The developer owns a site where a slot-machine parlor would land in downtown Cleveland if voters approve a proposed ballot issue allowing the machines in Ohio.
Both campaigns have accepted money from backers of the gambling issue, despite their opposition to the slots plan. In June 2005, Strickland reported a $10,000 contribution from the finance director at Beulah Park, a track outside Columbus.
NoLandGrab: We link this article to make two points.
1. Though the Ratner clan typically donates more money to Democrats, they aren't shy about crossing the line — in the 2004 presidential campaign, large donations flowed to both candidates and parties.
2. FCE has built its reputation as a large-scale development company that embraces Smart Growth and New Urbanist principles; however, they have been planning to get into the lucrative casino gambling business for quite some time: FCE is one of the bid finalists for a slot-machine parlor in Pittsburgh; the NYC subsidiary has lobbied for casino gambling in New York State; and contributions have started flowing to an upstate candidate who has played a "key role in discussions of a Buffalo casino" (See AY Report, 09/05/06).
We fail to see how slot-machine parlors (the equivalent of casino crack) square with progressive development principles, but then again, we've never accused the Ratners of being progressive.
Posted by lumi at September 7, 2006 9:20 AM