Records reveal another long shot plan for a Cleveland sportsbook, this time at Flats East Bank – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio A newly formed company has a long shot plan to build a sportsbook in Cleveland, this time eyeing the Flats East Bank as a new home for sports betting.

Its one of seven proposals that have been submitted for Cuyahoga County, but state law limits the county to five sportsbooks. Priority is being given to five other applications already in line from the Browns, Cavs, Guardians and JACK Entertainment. The earliest any could open is Jan. 1.

Records show Steve Rosen, Co-CEO of a private equity firm called Resilience Capital Partners in Beachwood, put in an application for a sportsbook. Some details about the plan became available this week after cleveland.com made a public records request with the Ohio Casino Control Commission

Through his assistant, Rosen said he is not ready to discuss the plans for East Bank, preferring to wait until the application is further along.

Rosen applied for the license under a newly formed LCC called Ravencrest Partners. Details are sparse because the Ohio Casino Control Commission heavily redacted the application before providing it to cleveland.com, citing laws that protect trade secrets and personal information. Even the specific address of the potential sportsbook is redacted.

The plan, according to the application, is to build a 10,000 square-foot sports-gaming venue that would employ about 250 people. The potential sportsbook has yet to partner with a service provider to run the gambling at the sportsbook.

Its unclear who else is backing Ravencrest Partners application, as Rosen is the only name shown; others were redacted. The application said the sportsbook was envisioned as part of Flats East Banks second phase of development, and credits Rosen with playing a role in developing Flats East Bank.

Flats East Bank is an over $500 million office, restaurant, hotel and residential complex near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River just off downtown.

As the photo shows, many details in Ravencrest LLC's application were redacted.Sean McDonnell, Cleveland.com

Ravencrest is one of seven applicants for a Type-B license, which would allow them to build a physical, casino-style sports betting operation called a sportsbook. Rosen will face the same issue as Harry Buffalo, which is seeking permission for a sportsbook in the Gateway District; there are not enough licenses to go around.

Ohio rules allow for 40 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks statewide, but limit Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties to just five each. Ohio rules also give casinos, racinos and sports teams preference, meaning theyll have the first shot at licenses.

The JACK Casino, JACK Thistledown racino, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians have all applied for the same Type-B licenses.

Casino Control Commission Spokesperson Jessica Franks said the agency is still looking at each applicant and seeing if theyre a suitable location for a sports gaming license.

Should those with licensing preference (the JACK properties and sports teams) all be found suitable and receive a license, that would preclude any other applicants from licensure if the maximum number of Type-B facilities has been reached in a particular county, Franks said in an email in July.

It costs $20,000 to apply for a license.

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Records reveal another long shot plan for a Cleveland sportsbook, this time at Flats East Bank - cleveland.com