HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorThursday, April 22, 2010NH HOUSE KILLS SLOT BILLThe New Hampshire House has killed the slotsat-tracksbill by a vote of 212 to 158, and didnot even consider an alternative measure. StateSenator Lou D’Allesandro, chairman of the SenateFinance Committee, who sponsored the billand has been a longtime proponent of slots attracks, said the issue still has life, “for the simplereason that there are people unemployed.” Thechairman of the Granite State Coalition AgainstExpanded Gambling, former state Senator JimRubens, acknowledged the fight “by no meansis over, but we’re very pleased by the margin.”The issue is not dead for the current session,because the House still must vote on its budgetcuttingbill next month, and then must negotiatewith the Senate on a compromise decision. Thebill that was defeated yesterday called for up to17,000 video slots at three tracks, including HTAmember Rockingham Park, and at a golf resortand two other undesignated sites. Governor JohnLynch, who promised a veto of the D’Allesandrobill and the alternative that would have reducedthe site to five locations and stipulated a 10,000maximum but was not considered, has not closedthe door entirely. He says he would first review areport he ordered, due next month. An ad showingMassachusetts governor Deval Patrick smiling,with the caption “Thank You New Hampshire”signifying Massachusetts benefitting fromthe negative New Hampshire vote, was run byFix It Now, a coalition supporting the measurekilled by the House.In another action yesterday, a hotly disputedbill to legalize, tax and regulate electronic bingoin Alabama was withdrawn by its House sponsor,who admitted he did not have the 63 votesneeded to pass the measure. It had passed theSenate and called for a public referendum,but was seven or eight votes short of passage.The Alabama governor, Bob Riley,strongly opposed the measure.BIG M SLOT PUSH URGEDThree New Jersey legislators -- state SenatorJennifer Beck, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlonand Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande --have urged the New Jersey Sports and ExpositionAuthority to seek proposals for slots, in viewof the $600 million offer from a group of casinoexecutives. Beck says the offer indicates primeinterest in the Meadowlands as a profitable enterprisewith slots, and says the Authority shouldpursue other offers. Casagrande said, “We areat the point where we need to look at all alternatives,but we won’t know what all the alternativesare if we accept the first offer to comealong.” She noted there has been much talk, butthe offer from Global Enterprises Meadowlands,led by David Hanlon, former chief executive ofHarrah’s Atlantic City operations, was the firstconcrete offer made. She called it “vital” that anopen bidding process get underway to see whatother offers might be out there.JOB OPENING AT TIOGATioga Downs has an immediate opening for acombined assistant racing secretary and charterand is reviewing applications. The job is seasonal-- May 1 thru mid-September -- and interestedapplicants should contact director of racing JasonBluhm at 607-372-1693, or e-mail jbluhm@tiogadowns.com for further details.PENN NATIONAL GETS AWARDPenn National Gaming has received the 2010Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence,presented by the Pennsylvania Departmentof Environmental Protection. The gaming giantwas honored for its commitment to the local environmentsurrounding its Hollywood Casino atits home Penn National Racecourse, in which astate-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant wasinstalled to mitigate the impact of wastewaterand provide reuse in track operations.