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, EditorMcERLEAN JOINS USTA BOARDAt the annual membership meeting of District 12of the United States Trotting Association, held inFreehold, NJ, HTA board chairman and formerpresident Chris McErlean was elected a USTAdirector. McErlean fills the spot formerly held byBruce Garland.AUSSIE STAR SERIOUSLY HURTTed Demmler, the first Australasian harness racingdriver to win 3,000 races and winner of the 1987World Driving Championship in Germany, has beeninjured seriously in a racing accident at theWarragul ‘country track’ in Australia. A four-timeAustralian champion, he was listed in serious conditionwith a broken bone in his neck, a puncturedlung and several broken ribs, according to a reportin The Harness Edge.DOGS FACE MUSIC ONCE AGAINGreyhound racing in Massachusetts, which surviveda 51-49 per cent vote for survival five yearsago, may have to fight another attack next year.The Humane Society of the United States, theMassachusetts Society for the Prevention of Crueltyto Animals, the greyhound protection groupGREY2K, and the Animal Rescue League of Bostonhave joined forces and told the Boston Globethey have collected almost twice as many signaturesas the 65,825 needed to put a measure toban the sport on the ballot in November, 2006. Thechairwoman of the ballot committee formed by theanti-dog racing groups says they have collectedmore than 110,000 signatures since Sept. 21, whenthe drive started. The petition is due to be submittedto the municipal clerk’s office in Boston tomorrowevening. As the proposal now reads, itwould phase out greyhound racing in Massachusettsentirely by Jan. 1, 2008. GaryGuccione, executive director of the NationalGreyhound Assn., called the group’sclaims of cruelty “ludicrous.”November 22, 2005MORE ABOUT MILLENIUMA few more details about the purchase of TheMeadows from Magna Entertainment for $225million have surfaced in Las Vegas, including thenot-surprising news that the entire deal is contingenton the new owners getting a slots license.Those new owners, Bill Paulos and Bill Wortman,operate as Millenium Gaming, and own the CanneryCasino and operate the Rampart Casinothere. They and private investor Oaktree CapitalManagement out of Los Angeles agreed to purchase100% of Magna’s interest in the track, buthave Magna’s present management team run thetrack for five years. When slots come to Pennsylvania-- and that does not appear imminent -- TheMeadows would wind up with 3,000 slots, andcould extend that number to 5,000 under presentstate law. The Millenium-Oaktree partnershiphopes to obtain a temporary license and open acasino as early as the third quarter of 2007, butit apparently has not dealt with the PennsylvaniaHarness Racing Commission, which does notdo things quickly. It is now 16 months sincegovernor Ed Rendell signed the slots bill in thestate, and that long or longer since the commissionbegan studying two applications for the finalharness racing license before deciding thatit liked neither one. Paulos acknowledged asmuch when he said, “It’s been a very slow-movingprocess,” noting that each part of the statewants to get their fair share. He claimed that“there are things happening behind the scenes,and the state is still taking applications.” Paulossays Millenium won’t close on the deal until itis licensed, and consequently is not fronting alot of money. He called the Pittsburgh area amajor feeder market “with great demographics.”Although Harrah’s already is in Pennsylvania,and the Venetian and Planet Hollywoodare hoping to be with free standing casinos, BoydGaming says it looked at The Meadows andpassed.