Tax revenues from a proposed casino on the West Side of Columbus could help bail out the staggering losses incurred by the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) because of a bad Nationwide Arena lease.
The proposal, which isn’t yet public but reported upon by the Columbus Dispatch, would use tax revenues from the Hollywood Casino Columbus to address shortfalls incurred by the Blue Jackets on the operations of Nationwide Arena. The team doesn’t break out finances, but source told the Dispatch some $10-$11 million in team losses annually can be attributed to the team’s lease at the privately financed Nationwide Arena.
Keeping the Blue Jackets in Columbus has been a priority for city officials; it’s the city’s only major-league team, and at a time other NHL franchises are on the move, there’s the chance the team could be sold if a financial solution cannot be reached.
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