Racino payments survive line-item

A provision breaking down who pays the $500,000 owed to Ohio communities hosting racinos – including Austintown, home of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course – survived Gov. John Kasich’s line-item vetos and was part of the state budget bill the governor signed Tuesday night. The provision spearheaded by Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, spells out that half will be paid through the Casino Operator Settlement Fund, which racino operators such as Penn National Gaming paid into to relocate its facility from Grove City to Austintown.