IL racing is screwed again
 

http://wjbc.com/quinn-wants-lawmaker...k-on-gambling/

"Quinn said lawmakers should more closely follow a framework he laid out that excludes slot machines at race tracks."

That’s the way to do better and we have a good framework that would make sure that integrity is always protected in Illinois, that we scale back the expansion of gambling so that it’s reasonable and moderate and not excessive and that we use the proceeds for good things,” Quinn said.

So he is worried about an expansion of gambling yet he doesnt want to include places where gambling already happens? I guess maintaining a billion dollar industry isnt a "good thing".

Why is it that lawmakers are mostly deranged bible beaters on the right and tedious do-gooders on the left?

And all on the take?

That's for sure. When will the lawmakers learn to just give the people what they want whether they, the lawmakers, like it or not. In Md. they waited so long for slots that it is almost too late to save the industry.

Yeah and in Indiana things are just starting to get really rolling with the high purses and they want to cut the slot subsidy. F*ing politicians!

In Minnesota the Native Americans have by far the biggest lobby in the state. Slots will never pass at Canterbury/Running Aces. Politicians on both sides are on the take

In true "PC" politician-like form i'll say I'm not racist, I'm just stating fact.

Horse racing is naive to think this won't start happening everywhere.

I fully expect NY government to screw up the racino at Aqueduct. I just hope they are distracted for a few years before they realize how much they can steal for themselves.

Survival of the fittest. Government that goes overboard with laws and restrictions conditions people either to work for them, use them for "disability" and the rest of us to keep these bullying, tax-whoring c.ocksuckers in power.

It's a vicious cycle that must eventually stop. Mind your own business, punk.

Somehow I think that we will get thru this in spite of the politicians. Illinois is so corrupt that it's almost become an automatic for the governor to go directly to prison when his term is up. I'll be happy to drive Quinn whenever he is ready. The large hotel next to Arlington Park has been closed for over a year making the area very quiet and NO revenue to the city or state. Churchill Downs has already mentioned that Arlington may close without slots. If that happens Illinois and Arlington Heights will lose millions when they already are running large deficits. I have resolved to NEVER vote to re-elect an incumbent in any position. That probably won't solve anything but the law of averages tells me that maybe someone with a clue will get a chance.

Actually horseman are naive to stop lobbying after they finally get slots. As usual horsemans groups are too cheap and stupid to grasp that politicians have to continually be bought off and that evey few years there is a new batch that must be taken care of. Everyone mobilizes to get the slots then once they get them, they all take victory laps, jack up the purses, the tracks immediately start to plot getting rid of us, no one takes care of the customers and soon the state pols are in need of more money. Of course no HBPA or other group takes any of the money and further funds a PAC or even a marketing campaign. It is happening in PA, will happen in NY and wont matter in FL because of the oversaturation of the gambling market is going to break everyone anyway.

Or, what they could do is actually help to make the game more appealing and grow so that it can stand on its own instead of trying to suck up slots money they do nothing to earn.

Hey Craig (sp)..if you know the history of the last 25 years here in IL then feel free to post, otherwise stick to your numbers. There is more here than horseman trying to mooch off of slots. The playing field has never been level in Illinois.

So it is on the horsemen to "make the game more appealing"? What about the tracks which take a much larger share of the pie and don't spend a penny more than is mandated on the racing side? Or like some casino companies that own tracks become outright hostile towards racing? There is this theory that slots tracks become huge money makers for the horsemen when in reality the slot money allows about 25% of horses to break even or better as opposed to the usual 5%.

And yeah I know that takeout at slot tracks/most tracks is still too high in general and most horsemans groups are too hyper focused on maintaining days and purse levels. But when tracks like CD overhaul their players rewards programs and eliminate on track rewards and make everything geared toward their ADW (from which horsemen get about 50% of what they would get from an on track bet) we have our hands full fighting to maintain what we are getting from the portion of the game that "stands on its own".

Yes, it is on both the tracks and the horsemen. You have to work together. Slots money will not last. The game is a mess and both tracks and horsemen have a part in that. Subsidies that prop up a failing business model won't last.

It is the same everywhere. You think Illinois is worse off than other places? Please.

Name another state that has its last two governors in jail right now....

From a horse racing perspective and an access to Casino opportunities perspective it is worse off than New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Louisiana, Delaware, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, soon to be Massachusetts, West Virginia and others I'm sure I forgot. So yes..it is. All Illinois tracks want is a right to compete in the Casino/Slot arena and they have been told no for 15 years. It would be like Walmart successfully blocking Target from building a store accross the street...it wouldn't happen.