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, May 20, 2010FIFTH TRY FOR BIG A RACIN0Five bidders are back on the trail seekingthe Aqueduct racino franchise, and accordingto Crain’s New York Business, lastweek’s state request for proposals generatedmore than 120 questions for clarificationfrom the New York Lottery, whichis supervising this selection round. Of thefive, only one, Penn National Gaming, admittedasking questions before jumping inthe pool, which this time around requiresa refundable $1 million entry fee due byJune 1. Penn National’s spokesman, seniorVP of public affairs Eric Schippers,said the Pennsylvania-based gaming giantwas “awaiting additional informationprior to deciding whether or not to participate.”Three other losers presumablyare back from the fourth round of biddingthat ended with the winner, the scandaltaintedAqueduct Entertainment Group,being disqualified. The three were SLGreen Realty, Delaware North -- anotherformer winner that couldn’t producethe $300 million upfront payment -- andThe Peebles Corp., another realty outfit.All three declined to comment when contactedby Crain’s. The Lottery divisionwill score the applications, which mustbe submitted by June 29, and its recommendationsare supposed to be bindingon the governor, Assembly Speaker SheldonSilver, and Senate Majority ConferenceLeader John Sampson. All three ofthose state powers must sign off onthe Lottery winner. We’ll see.NEW RULES IN OHIO, TOORules for Ohio’s coming casinos were announcedthis week in the Ohio House, andwill require reconciliation with the Senateversion of the regulations. Hearingswere held yesterday. The House versionrequires plans to hire minority contractorsand buy goods and services fromOhio companies, and specify which jobtrainingprograms will get receive taxbreaks from $200 million in expected regulationfees. Both House and Senate billsban round-the-clock booze, as well as freedrinks for customers. The legislation inthe Democratic House calls for $70 millionin Urban Workforce funds for grantsthat provide Ohio companies wherewithalto hire unemployed Ohioans, and $60 millionfor the state’s Co-Op Internship program,which provides students with actualworkforce experience in their fields in aneffort to encourage them to stay in Ohio.The House also proposes setting aside $60million for the Ohio Workforce GuaranteeProgram hoping to avert layoffs andspur training resources to Ohio companies,and $10 million for a new programcalled Build Your Own Business, whichwill work with the state’s Small BusinessDevelopment Centers, community collegesand adult career centers to help thestate’s unemployed start their own businesses.Both bills will charge a $2 millionapplication fee to get in the game and inexpensiveliquor licenses good for 5:30a.m. to 2:30 a.m. 21-hour operation.