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Columbus Becoming a Tourist City
Columbus
is gaining recognition with well known media sources
such as the Akron Beacon Journal, Dayton Daily News,
online with Ohio.Com and worldwide, the Associated
Press is writing about the city. To add to the
cities publicity is the news about the incoming
casino but, not if Mayo Michael Coleman has anything
to say about it. Keeping the city a tourist
attraction is obviously important to Columbus but
the type of tourist is important as well.
Building the casino in the Arena District is not
acceptable says Coleman according the Associated
Press in an article written November 27.
Coleman wants to keep the neighborhood a "family
district" as money has been invested to build a new
minor league ball park and is the home stadium of
the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. Ohio.Com last
year posted an article about touring Columbus, which
is right up Coleman's idea of family life. The
article stated that Columbus now has the #1 rated
zoo in the nation, one of the best science center
museums, water park and more. Columbus is
gaining recognition is the family "mini vacation"
but, will the casino hamper that or add another type
of tourist?
Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment on
November 3 that will allow casinos to be placed in
Columbus and three other Ohio cities. But, the
amendment also determined in which neighborhoods the
casinos will be placed, which seems a bit odd to me.
The State of Ohio determined this fait for Columbus
for many of the "voters in Columbus and Franklin
County, which includes the city, rejected the casino
ballot issue," according to the Associated Press.
Although Penn National Gaming Inc. states they want
to work with city officials, their actions speak
less. The Associated Press quoted Gove. Ted
Strickland as saying, "he will veto any casino bill
that doesn't protect local governments' ability to
regulate the projects." The casino could
possibly be the icing on the cake that will make
Columbus a full fledged vacation destination.
But, the key question is will the casino bring
revenue to Columbus or cost the city money due to
crime problems such as vandalism and organized crime
activities?
Recently USA Travel Guide named the Columbus
Zoo and Aquarium the "No. 1 Zoo in America." In
addition, Parent's Magazine named the
Columbus science museum, COSI, the "No. 1 Science
Center in the Country." Betty O'Neil-Roderick,
2009 Roderick claims that a family of
four can visit the city including a tour of the Zoo
and the #1 science center in the nation for just
$299, which includes two nights at the Drury Inn &
Suites. The science center also includes an
Egyptian adventure and the science center is a
hand-on tour. The last but, not least
important aspect of a tourist destination food.
TheShortNorth.Com describes great food and shopping
at the top of their restaurant section, "Visit Short
North restaurants, art galleries, and shops! Visit
the Gallery Hop, the first Saturday of every month.
The Short North, Columbus Ohio is an eclectic,
historic, urban neighborhood. It's the Art District
of Columbus, Ohio. Near downtown, Arena District,
German Village, OSU, Brewery District, and the
Convention Center; its the place to be!" The
restaurants listed on their restaurant page include
contemporary, Pizzeria and family style Italian
food, including the infamous Buca di Beppo, steak
houses, soup and salad, sports bar, lunch and fine
dinner dining, Japanese cuisine, a micro-brewery and
on. The restaurant selection is as good as any
of the big cities, the shopping, the entertainment,
the family choice entertainment is all available in
Columbus making the city a choice tourist and
vacation destination.
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