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, EditorYOU SHOULD LIVE SO LONGThe old Jewish mothers’ wish is our hope for thosewaiting for slots in Pennsylvania. We have a secondwish, too: get your kid a job with the PennsylvaniaGaming Control Board. Outside of beinga mutuel clerk in California, it’s the best dealin racing. Moving with glacier-like speed, theControl Board is operating so slowly in puttingtogether an operating staff that many of thehorses -- and perhaps their owners and breeders-- who were expected to benefit from slots inPennsylvania will be retired or dead by the timethey finally get regulations argued over, written,and in place. The latest move was the hiring ofAnne L. Neeb, director of the Louisiana GamingControl Board for the last two years, to be executivedirector of the Pennsylvania board, at acool $180,000 a year. She will direct a staff thateventually will number between 130 and 140. Thecontrol board also hired its top cop yesterday, a30-year veteran of the FBI named David J. Kwait,62, who will be paid $140,000 and will answer toMs. Neeb. Most recently, he has been chief ofcriminal investigations for the Pennsylvania attorneygeneral. Although the board’s chief counselhas not been hired yet, three members of hisor her staff were hired yesterday. They are agaming law specialist from an Atlantic City lawfirm; the director of the state House Judiciarycommittee; and the assistant counsel of the PennsylvaniaJudicial Conduct board. The chairmanof the Gaming Control Board, Thomas (Tad)Decker, said the board will be moving “expeditiously”to implement the law passed a year ago,now that the Supreme Court has upheld its legality.He also said he still hopes to have the firstseven track racinos licensed by late 2006 or early2007. The wheels of progress grind slowly inPennsylvania, and racing in the state -- which Ms.Neeb says has an opportunity to be revitalized-- can only wait and hope, thatthere’s money left after staffing.July 8, 2005TOP NY COURT HOLDS FIRMNew York’s highest court -- the Court of Appeals-- has refused to reopen a case it upheld last monthestablishing the legality of VLTs in the state. Withoutcomment, the court denied a motion to rehearthe case, which differentiated VLTs from slots andpermitted revenues from them to be used to benefitthe state breeding fund. The decision was anotherdefeat for Joseph Dalton, the president ofthe Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, whohas been trying to upset VLTs in New York.CASINO TIES UP MINNESOTAA partial shutdown of state government in Minnesotaentered its second week today, with thegovernor, Tim Pawlenty, and legislative leadersdeadlocked over the issue of a casino at CanterburyDowns. The governor and his key Republicanallies want one. They control theHouse, but Democrats control the Senate, andthe stalemate over the casino issue has forcedalmost 9,000 state employees off the job sinceJuly 1. Residents can’t get new drivers’ licenses,highway rest areas are barricaded, and otherservices that derive income from state fundingare shut down. A special court master says hewill recommend restoration of the services, butanother judge still must sign off on that. Canterburyhas round-the-clock poker, but wants toadd slots and more table games, and is willingto pay the state $210 million for the next twoyears to get them. At the present time in Minnesota,those privileges are reserved for thestate’s many Indian tribes. If the stalemate continuesfor another week, the 8,900 affected employeeswill be formally laid off and Minnesotawill have to pay millions in unemployment andseverance costs.PICK 6 OVER $100,000The Meadowlands Pick 6, not hit since June22, now has a $100,067 carryover.