The new Cleveland casino is scheduled to open in March of 2012, and they’ve already been hiring a training dealers. Now they’re opening up applications for 750 casino positions in 40 different job areas.

There’s a pay range for each position, and starting salaries are listed on the web site. For example, security officers start at $12 an hour, beverage and buffet supervisors at $30,000 a year, and those who oversee slot machines will earn at least $39,000 annually.

Full-time positions offer a complete benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition reimbursement and a 401K retirement plan.

“We’re looking for personality,” said Glover, a Caesars Entertainment Corp. executive. “We’re looking for upbeat and positive attitudes, for people who have an ability to interact with strangers and provide excellent customer service.

“Some of that we’ll train, but we need a lot of those characteristics to be inherent in the individual.”

Clevelanders and other gambling fans in Ohio are naturally thrilled. First, it’s good for the local economy. But more importantly, gambling fans in the state now have another outlet to go with online sports betting.

It took a long time for Ohio to join the party. The conservative forces in Southern Ohio were always against legal gambling and they consistently defeated attempts to bring casinos to Ohio. But Dan Gilbert finally made it happen, so soon we’ll have a grand opening with plenty of economic activity in Downtown Cleveland.

Penn National Gaming might be adding up to 1,500 jobs in the Dayton area, though it depends on Ohio approval of video lottery terminals. Penn is looking to transform a former Delphi plant in north Dayton into a $200 million horse track and slot machine complex.

I wonder if Governor Kasich’s decision to kill the high-speed rail project in Ohio will come back to haunt him. Many people who voted for him were surprised when he killed the project, which would be great for Ohio’s transportation infrastructure, Ohio jobs and Ohio technology.

Regardless of your views of John Kasich’s politics, so far he’s gotten off to a rocky start with his arrogant and obnoxious attitude. He’s been a gaffe machine, and Steven Colbert decided to have a field day with him and his all-white cabinet.