Anne Arundel accepts petition; Slots measure to ballot
 

SIGNATURES ACCEPTED BY ANNE ARUNDEL; SLOTS WILL GO ON BALLOT

Annapolis, Maryland (March 11, 2010) – Today the coalition of petitioners was informed that the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections has verified in excess of the 18,790 signatures required as a threshold to place the slots zoning ordinance on the November ballot. To date, 19,054 signatures have been accepted. Several thousand more signatures are still being processed by the Election Board.

“On behalf of everyone who worked so tirelessly to gather the signatures, we are delighted at today’s news,” said Rob Annicelli, president of the citizens group “Stop Slots at Arundel Mills.” “The referendum was a daunting task, but the clear will of so many citizens in Anne Arundel County has been confirmed today. By the time all the signatures are verified, we expect several thousand more validated signatures.”

“Neither two blizzards nor a baseless lawsuit could deter the groundswell of Anne Arundel County citizens determined to take this matter to referendum. People want the slots zoning ordinance on the ballot,” said Heather Ford, coalition coordinator for “Citizens Against Slots at the Mall,” the umbrella organization and sponsor of the petition filing. “For the same reasons we have reached this milestone, we are confident that the slots zoning ordinance will be rejected by the voters in November.”

According to Tom Chuckas, president of the Maryland Jockey Club: “This has been a coalition in the truest sense of the word and the Maryland Jockey Club has been proud to be a part of this historic effort.”

Tom Chuckas should be very proud. Now, when they place the tombstone on the grave of Maryland Racing, it will read like this:

Maryland Jockey Club - R.I.P
1743 to 2010

Dedicated to those who screwed up a two car funeral:

Joe DeFrancis
House Speaker Michael Busch
Frank Stronach
Richard Hoffberger
Wayne Wright
Dale Capuano
Tom Chuckas

The Preakness is their only salvation. Once that goes.....fuhgeettabout it!

Thing is, I just can't imagine the Preakness going somewhere else. Even if the Preakness becomes the only weekend of racing MJC has for the entire year, I still think the race will always be held in Maryland.

the race can go somewhere else but Not the name "Preakness".

If that's the only weekend of racing in MD, then what's the point? If the rest of racing is gone, and the breeding is gone, who really cares about a race in MD on the third Sat in May?