Business was booming in Ohio, where the state’s casino industry saw revenues increase 9%. Hollywood Columbus ($22.5 million) was up 8.5% while Hollywood Toledo ($20 million) they gained 8%. Hollywood 
Dayton (+9%) and Hollywood Mahoning Valley (+13%) were phat, with slot win/day of $331 in Dayton and $355/slot/day in Austintown. Despite being closed two days due to flooding, Belterra Park managed to stay level with last year, grossing $7.5 million. Scioto Downs leapt 11% to $16 million and Miami Valley Gaming jumped 11.5% to $15.5 million. The Jack threesome were all on the positive side of the ledger for once. Dan Gilbert grossed $20 million in Cleveland (up 12%), $12 million at Thistledown (15% higher) and $19.5 million in Cincinnati (5% better). The strong showing by Belterra Park should give owner-to-be Boyd Gaming hope that it can turn this asset around.
* Missouri casinos also had a good March, up 2.5% for an overall gross of $168.5 million. Business in St. Louis was good (+4%) and a bit off in Kansas City (-1%). Good performance by slot machines more than offset bad luck at the tables. Ameristar St. Charles set the pace, grossing $25.5 
million (+2.5%), while neighbor Hollywood St. Louis pulled in $22 million, down 4%. Tropicana Entertainment‘s Lumiere Place had a whopping good month, up 18%, grossing $16.5 million, while River City grossed $22 million, for a 5% increase.
In Kansas City, only Penn National Gaming‘s Argosy Riverside was revenue-positive, up 6% to $15.5 million. Ameristar Kansas City lost a percentage point, grossing $18 million, while Harrah’s North Kansas 
City ceded 5.5%, grossing $15.5 million. Isle of Capri Kansas City was down 9% to $7 million. Affinity Gaming‘s rural Mark Twain Casino was up 10.4% to $3.5 million. Of the various and sundry Isle of Capri-branded properties, Cape Girardeau was the standout, leaping 10% to $6.5 million. Considering that the two Ameristar properties were the highest grossers in the Show-Me State, Boyd has to be very happy about its prospects when it takes them over.
