COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A $1.9 billion budget deficit is hanging over the heads of Ohio officials.
Gov. Ted Strickland says he believes gambling is bad for Ohio, but he's willing to entertain proposals to expand it to bring in more revenue.
Strickland said Thursday that expansion would not be his preferred course of action but that he wouldn't close his mind to ideas.
The governor's anti-gambling stance has been one of his core philosophies. Ohio voters have repeatedly voted against putting slot machines at race tracks and allowing casinos, most recently turning down a proposed casino in western Ohio.
NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt talked to My Ohio Now Entertainment about Strickland's willingness to hear more casino proposals.
The group continues to hope their Urban Renewal Focus in the three C's -- Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati -- will be of interest to Strickland and legislators.
There is ongoing dialogue throughout the state on the subject.
"There's an evolution in thought. I don't think anyone is ever going to say from those statewide elected offices that we embrace this 100 percent," said Ian Smith of My Ohio Now Entertainment. "There are discussions about the petition, what an amendment would look like. Collecting signatures is probably where it's going to head."
Signatures will be collected and for the first time My Ohio Now Entertainment said it will be aiming for the 2009 General Election ballot, meaning they have to collect 402,275 signatures from 44 counties by June 30.
The state faces a projected $7 billion budget deficit in the next two-year budget. Gambling interests often approach lawmakers during tough budget times to sell gambling as a way to expand revenue.
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The Associated Press contributed to the content of this article.
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