"When I first heard about the casino, I really got upset. That's putting it mildly," said Ms. Sikorski, a lifelong Rossford resident who traces her ancestors back to some of the city's original settlers. "I was scared."
But in the following months, Ms. Sikorski said she changed her mind and no longer worries her small town will turn into the next Atlantic City.
Instead, she said she sees the casino as helping the downtown grow.
"Wow, things are happening," said Ms. Sikorski, who owns a vintage clothing and antique store in Rossford. "Lights are going in."
She was one of about 60 people who attended a meeting Wednesday to ask questions and get updates on the East Toledo casino project located just down the street from Rossford. The meeting at Bass Pro Shops was packed with business owners and employees as well as school and city officials during the monthly Rossford Business Association meeting.
Several told casino executives they want to find ways to capture the business of both the gamblers and the casino's 1,200 employees.
The casino will not build boat docks on the Maumee River and there are no immediate plans to build a hotel, although there is space for one on the 44-acre site, said Jason Birney, the casino's vice president of marketing.
The biggest unanswered question remains, when will the casino open? Executives did not give any new details Wednesday.
Penn National Gaming Inc.'s tentative goal was to open April 1, but the Ohio Casino Control Commission has not licensed the casino operator yet. The casino's general manager, Richard St. Jean, said last week he expects to announce an official opening date by the end of the month.
Mr. Birney said Wednesday the casino wants to sponsor a summer concert series on the river, but the biggest challenge is finding enough space for both casino-goers and concert attendees to park. Details haven't been worked out.
"I want it to work desperately," he said to the group.
The casino's free parking garage will hold about 3,000 cars to handle an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people a day -- about 2.8 million annually, Mr. Birney said.
Depending on how the casino's opening goes, the casino might hold a 1,000-person concert this year as a test run, which would be smaller than the maximum capacity of 3,000 people for a show, Mr. Birney said.
Casino executives could break even for the outdoor show by selling low-cost tickets because their intent is to get concertgoers walking through the casino for the performance, he said.
Contact Gabrielle Russon at: grusson@theblade.com or 419-724-6026.