October 28, 2009

Cavs owner uses home opener to stump for casinos

If you ever wonder why rich people continue to buy sports teams even as they complain that they lose money — aside from the Beeston Dictum — how's this for an ancillary benefit: Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert got to appear on video screens during his team's home opener to urge fans to vote in favor of legalized casinos in Ohio. "Keep the jobs here. Keep the tax dollars here," Gilbert told the sellout crowd, who'd already received handouts urging the same thing.

Not mentioned by Gilbert, so far as I can tell: That the referendum would give his company exclusive rights to build casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati. It's nice to have your own captive audience.