CHESTER -- MTR Gaming, parent of Mountaineer Casino, Race Track and Resort, is waiting to see how Ohio will proceed regarding slots or video lottery machines at the state's race tracks, following Tuesday's approval of casinos for Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo.

MTR Chief Executive Officer Robert Griffin told financial reporters during a conference call Thursday afternoon, " If there is a silver lining in this, from what we've seen in the last day,there is a lot support out there to get us under the tent now. They need the money and they have the political cover of a statewide vote that approved gaming."

Griffin indicated there is a petition drive under way for a referendum on video lottery terminals at the state's race tracks. MTR owns the struggling Scioto Downs facility at Columbus. MTR continues to maintain that the state lottery commission can approve terminals for the race tracks without a referendum, and he indicated MTR is lobbying with the governor on that issue.

Griffin said from a timetable set out by Penn National in its recent quarterly conference call, it appears casinos for Ohio won't be ready for gamblers until early 2013.

He said there is a lot of support in the General Assembly for the state's horse tracks.

"They do not want to see the tracks close and those jobs disappear before the casinos open," Griffin said. "There are other ways we could go, but we don't want to tip our hand at this point.

For more on the MTR Gaming earnings call, see Friday's print editions or visit www.heraldstaronline.com.

(Giannamore's e-mail address is pgiannamore@heraldstaronline.com.)