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, Editor June 21, 2005MAJOR VICTORY IN FLORIDA NEW CAL-EXPO SEEKS HORSESA circuit court judge in Broward county, Florida, In an innovative push to lure new horses to California,the new operators-to-be of racing at Sacra-threw out the state’s case in the matter of slots attracks today and told the county’s four pari-mutuel mento, Cal Expo Harness and the Sacramentooperations that they were free to begin operating Harness Association, along with the Californiaslot machines by July 1 without fear of prosecutionfrom the state’s attorney’s office. The judge a bonus incentive plan. When any new horse overHarness Horsemen’s Association, have announcedsaid a constitutional amendment approved by voterslast November overrode the state statute pro-will receive a $500 bonus. When it makes its 10thtwo years of age makes its first start, the ownerhibiting slots. Obviously annoyed at the start, the owner will receive another $500. Andlegislature’s dereliction in ignoring voters’ wishes, the owner of the horse with the most wins betweenJudge Leroy Moe said that if the state or county Aug. 6 and Dec. 30 will receive a $10,000 bonus,did not issue regulations on hours of operations, as will the owner of the new horse with the mosttype of machines and distribution of revenues by money earnings during that period.that date, he would. He said the state legislatureBRUNO FLEXES HIS MUSCLESviolated the intent of the Amendment 4 of theJoe Bruno, The Force in the New York legislatureas Senate Majority Leader, announcedFlorida state constitution that allowed voters inBroward and Miami-Dade counties to decideyesterday that it will not be one casino in thewhether they wanted slots at their pari-mutuelCatskills, as proposed by Governor Georgesites. Pompano Park announced it would wait untilits new racino building is completed to beginPataki, but three, or nothing. Some lawmakersand lobbyists protested that a three-casinobill would help the Oneidas of Wisconsin,slots operations, but Hollywood Greyhound Tracksaid it would begin offering slots within a montha tribe that has Bruno’s son Kenneth as a lobbyiston its payroll. Be that as it may theor two. A Miami Herald photographer wasenroute to Pompano to get a picture of generalOttaway News Service says Bruno’s opposition“puts Pataki’s proposal to settle the St.manager Dick Feinberg celebrating atop a pileof structural steel resting on the parking lotRegis Mohawks’ land-claim lawsuit on thinawaiting construction. It is doubtful governor Jebice.” The legislature is nearing the end of itsBush is celebrating, for the decision is likely tosession, and before Bruno made his “threeor-none”announcement, it seemed Pataki’scomplicate his federally mandated negotiationswith the Seminole Indian Nation, now clamoringwish for one casino would pass. One statefor slots instead of VLTs. The attorney who issenator, Eric Schneiderman of Manhattan, toldgeneral counsel for the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys’Association, representing the state’s at-Newsday the usual 11th hour frenzy in thestate capitol had been replaced by a desire totorney, had asked Moe for a dismissal and a postponementbecause he couldn’t attend the hear-end the session on a high note with the firston-time budget in 20 years. “They just seeming, but Moe denied both motions. The state canto want to get out of town,” Schneiderman saidappeal Moe’s decision, but as of press time noof his colleagues. “If they stay here anyword from either the state’s attorney or the governoras to that possibility. Meanwhile,longer, they’ll get into a fight about something.”His statement was prescient. Joeexultation understandably is the order ofBruno now has given them something tothe day in south Florida.fight about.