2005 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorMAINE GOV TO VETO RACINOThe legislature of Maine gave its approval lastweek to a tribal racino and harness track in economicallydepressed Washington county, but thestate’s governor, John Baldacci, says he will vetothe bill. The House passed the measure, 94-53,and reaffirmed that vote in another 87-46 vote.The Senate approved it 19-15, but those votes donot provide the two-thirds majority needed to overrideBaldacci’s promised veto. The governor saidgambling would hurt long-term efforts to bring businessesand jobs to Washington county -- a strangepremise -- and said the project was “not sustainableeconomic development.” The Senate majorityleader, Paul Davis, said, “If he vetoes it, it’s allover.”A VETO IN FLORIDA, TOOTracks in Florida, particularly in Browardcounty where HTA’s Pompano Park operates,have been plagued recently with a proliferationof adult arcades, where four quarters get you achance in pizza parlors and arcades to win ticketsthat can be exchanged for gift certificatesin stores, supermarkets, and restaurants. Althoughdirect cash, alcohol and tobacco prizesare prohibited under the law, the tickets canbe exchanged in supermarkets and stores forthose items. A Miami Republican, Senator AlexVillalobos, slipped a provision into a consumerprotection bill that would have allowed the arcadesto use dollar bills instead of coins in themachines. The tracks objected, and for onceJeb Bush came down on their side. He vetoedthe measure, calling it “an expansion of gamblingand inconsistent with my long-standinganti-gambling philosophy.” It was a nickel anddime victory -- or maybe more accurately afour-quarter victory, but at least it gavet h etracks something they wanted and gavethe arcades something they didn’t want.In Florida, that’s progress.June 6, 2005HANG ON. HELP ON WAY, IN’07Tracks and horsemen in Pennsylvania have beenwaiting a long while for slots, but it appears they’llhave to wait at least another two years. The chairmanof the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board,Thomas A. Decker, told reporters last week thathe feels confident the state will begin seeing revenue“as soon as 2007.” That is not “as soon as”racing would like, but the control board is crawling,not running, and a legal challenge on constitutionalityisn’t helping. The state Supreme Courtis expected to hear the case this summer.AH YES, THE EMERALD AGAINIf you like really long-running serials, then Chicagoand the Emerald Casino case is the placefor you. The Illinois Gaming Board, recentlyreconstituted by the governor, has taken up thelicense revocation matter involving the Emeraldagain. We have lost track of the years thishas been dragging on, but eight is a good guess,and the revocation proceedings themselves goback three years. Now attorneys for the bankruptEmerald are asking a judge to halt the revocationmatter, saying it is causing the Emeraldgroup to lose money for lawyers and the stateto lose money because the license remains unused.The attorney general of Illinois, LisaMadigan, says there is no emergency that wouldcause the judge to grant an injunction to stopthe hearing.DANICA ASIDE, HERE’S KARYNDanica Patrick has captured headlines, includingSports Illustrated’s cover, since her fourth placefinish in the Indy 500. But how about Dr. KarynMalinowski, a dean at Rutgers university and directorof its Equine Science Center, who finishedfirst in the $5,000 American Harness DriversSpring Final at the Meadowlands. She not onlywon, but drove her own pacer Hugme Christito a 1:55.4 victory.