Backers of the latest attempt to bring a casino to Ohio are trying a new marketing approach: glitz, local government payouts and inevitability.

A story from the AP says, two ads for the $600 million casino proposed for the November ballot have been running. One shows a map with a blackened Ohio surrounded by colorful states that either have casinos or are considering legislation authorizing them.

The other shows actress Vicki Lawrence in her "Mama's Family" garb pointing to an Ohio map and saying, "What's missing? A casino."

The ads are designed to help a campaign to collect 402,275 valid signatures of Ohio voters to get the issue on the ballot. If successful, the issue would allow the construction of the casino in Clinton County about 45 miles north of Cincinnati.

The pitch is designed to educate voters that Ohio tax dollars are "leaving the state at 65 mph" for places such as southeast Indiana, Detroit and Wheeling, W.Va. The casino backers are touting the idea as a destination site for tourists "complete with a five star hotel, golf course, spa, local gourmet restaurants, a full scale convention center, live entertainment and music," in addition, of course, to slot machines, blackjack and craps.

To drum up local support, the backers say they'll make direct payments to all 88 county governments. Payments per year would range from $276,000 to Morgan County to more than $25 million to Cuyahoga County, the backers project on their Web site.