COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The director of the Ohio Lottery resigned Tuesday.
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland accepted the letter of resignation from Ohio Lottery Commission Director Michael Dolan.
Dolan will continue to serve as director until the governor appoints a successor.
Below is a portion of Dolan's resignation letter:
It is with mixed emotion that I submit this letter to you for consideration. On July 1, 2009, the Lottery successfully converted its on-line gaming system from GTECH to Intralot – one of the largest vendor-to-vendor conversions in North American lottery history. This past week, I spent time reflecting on some of the Lottery's accomplishments over the past two-and-a-half years – re-branding the Lottery as a modern consumer product organization; generating $30 million of new revenue through the introduction of Keno at taverns and restaurants around Ohio; realizing a base savings of $20 million per year through the implementation of the Intralot gaming system; and achieving record sales in fiscal year 2009. I am proud that all of these accomplishments will benefit K-12 education in Ohio through the increased return of net operating profit to the Department of Education for many years.
I also spent a considerable amount of time contemplating our future initiatives, specifically your July 13, 2009 directive to implement Video Lottery Terminals at race tracks in Ohio. My reflection has led me to conclude that the best interests of the Lottery and the State, as well as my personal interests, would be best served by passing the Lottery "baton" so that the next leg of the race can be completed freshly. Accordingly, I submit my notice of resignation to you, effective upon the appointment of my successor.
Strickland issued the following statement:
"Mike's work at the Ohio Lottery Commission over the past two years has truly benefited the State of Ohio. Recently, Mike effectively completed the Lottery's transition to a new vendor that will save the state $20 million per year. There is no doubt that this transition was the most significant project the Lottery has undertaken in 10 years, and Mike's leadership drove the project to a successful completion. Beyond his work at the Lottery, I believe that Mike is a person who exemplifies the creativity and commitment to Ohio that we expect of those in public service. I accept his resignation with deep appreciation for his service to me and the State of Ohio, and wish him the best in his future endeavors."
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at stories@nbc4i.com.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement