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#1
06-13-2007, 05:26 AM
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the wv table games bill passed sunday....construction has already begun
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#2
06-13-2007, 05:39 AM
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Quote:
__________________
"Always keep your heads up and act like champions." Coach Paul Bryant
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#3
06-13-2007, 05:40 AM
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Quote:
--Dunbar
__________________
Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
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#4
06-13-2007, 07:05 AM
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It's got everything to do with Bible thumping and "family values".
I live in MD. Trust me, the knee-jerk reaction is that slots means gambling makes for sinners in the hands of an angry god. This state is run by soccer moms and dads. Period. They are so freaked out by the notion of slots/gambling that they're willing to forego roughly 50% of the revenue slated for education. Here's the latest accounting by the Baltimore Sun: Joined by their highest-ranking advocate, Comptroller Peter Franchot, Stop Slots Maryland advocates gathered at an Annapolis-area church yesterday to resume their push to block gambling. Leaders said they were bankrupt and that supporters had scattered, but that they would turn to religious groups across the state, and even Republican lawmakers, for help.
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#5
06-13-2007, 07:55 AM
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They would turn to religious groups, sure, but for the last five years, religious groups have nothing to do with why there aren't slots in Maryland. Former Governor Ehrlich - a Republican - was the world's biggest proponent of slots, and the state legislature refused to go along with any plan that came from the governor.
Religious groups may be a factor now, but they certainly weren't a factor at any point in the last five years.
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#7
06-13-2007, 03:25 PM
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I would like to see racing on national tv.
I can't see how a sport "needs" slots and they aren't using the mass media. It's ass backwards to me, but I am probably just wrong and ill informed. I think the NBA or NFL would fail if they had racing's use of mass media. I think mass media is how they prospered.
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#8
06-13-2007, 04:00 PM
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NYRA, Churchill, Keeneland, SoCal, Oaklawn.
Best race meets which have one other thing in common... no slots. The tracks with artificial slot purses really do nothing other than support bad horses and their owners, trainers, etc.... All the BS about Slots = Higher Purses = Better Horses = Increased Handle is trash. Hell, Gulfstream projected revenue of $600 a day per machine. They got $250. Can't say I feel sorry for them. Anybody who puts a dime into one of those things is a damn fool.
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#10
06-13-2007, 09:44 PM
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We had this same type of debate here in Detroit about 10 years ago. The anti-gambling movement was able to successfully head off casino gambling for many years using the "family values morality" argument. Then a funny thing happened: the government of Ontario opened a casino right across the river from Detroit. People realized that the casino gambling couldn't be stopped and really it was only a question of where the money was going to be spent-- over there (Canada) or over here (Detroit). When people realized it was probably better to keep the money here instead of flowing over to Canada, casino gambling was approved in spite of the anti-gambling crowd.
I'm surprised that legislators in Maryland would rather watch those slot dollars go to Pennsylvania and Delaware instead of legalizing it in the Old Line State and collecting tax revenue from it. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time politicians have acted illogically . . . 
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#11
06-15-2007, 07:36 AM
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Quote:
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"Have the clean racing people run any ads explaining that giving a horse a Starbucks and a chocolate poppyseed muffin for breakfast would likely result in a ten year suspension for the trainer?" - Dr. Andrew Roberts
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#12
06-15-2007, 11:56 PM
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And the parking lots are full of vehicles with Ohio plates.
Totally disgusted me that we could not get Issue 3 passed in Ohio last year, especially with the amount of money that would have gone to secondary education. I was a huge supporter of the bill there, even had a slot of ATRAB to try to drum up support, but our bill was eventually killed, not as much by the religious supporters but by the notion that "7 wealthy racetracks would only benefit". Those being places like Beulah, Scioto Downs, and River Downs (none of which I would call wealthy tracks). I wish Maryland all the luck in the world in getting the slot machines at their tracks, as they should have the chance to compete with surrounding states on a level playing field... ALostTexan
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#13
06-16-2007, 08:22 AM
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in the long run, those who are able to get slots will be right back where they started, with everyone fighting for the gambling dollars....getting slots doesn't mean one will succeed, but by the same token, maryland without them is fighting an uphill battle.
louisiana really siphoned off a lot of arkansas breeders when they got slots, oaklawn turned around and got their instant racing machines, which helped...
__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln
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#14
06-16-2007, 08:53 AM
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Byalip,
You may live in Maryland but you clearly don't have a grasp on the slots situation, i.e., why they haven't been passed. A few here have it right - it is purely a political issue that has been firmly obstructed by the Speaker of MD's House - Michael Busch. The Senate President, Mike Miller, claims to be a "friend" of Md racing and has supported slots and has pushed a few bills through his chamber the last few years only to be rebuffed by The Obstructionist. With a Republican Gov the previous 4 years, and the Democrat Obstructionist, slots were never going to get passed - MD Dem's simply would never allow a Republican Gov to accomplish anything. Your highlighting of the bible thumping crowd really doesn't play into the deal. Yes, the church will always cry out against gambling and there are some MD church leaders decrying the evils of slots - and then they call their next bingo number. The church, some civic leaders, etc are but a small vocal minority - ankle biters, I call them. But the main roadblock, until now has been the Obstructionist Busch. But, a new Dem Gov was just elected so now the tide seems to be changing for the call for slots. The state is facing a huge budget deficit next year so suddenly, Ob Busch finding slots much more palatable. No doubt, giving a Dem Gov the chance to claim victory in the slots issue make them more tasty too. In the end, it's the shortsighted leadership and failings of the Maryland horsemen and the MJC that is to blame. The horsemen's refusal to shorten their meets substantially to preserve purses is a major downfall. All the past few years there has been tremendous resistance by a number of the elected directors (owners, trainers) that sit on the MD Horsemen's Association to reduce racing dates. Their cry was that they needed to have year round racing to preserve there family life. Funny thing is, most of those whiners are the ones that were first to start taking stalls at Delpark, Gulfstream, FairGrounds, etc. - they couldn't wait to jump ship. MJC shares the blame too. They are the poorest bunch of managers ever to see the face of the earth. They spent millions to rebuild the Laurel dirt and turf course, especially the turf course. But, when does the bulk of the Lau meet run? During the winter. So, what Einstein is responsible for that great decision? Each year since the turf course has been open, the fall meet has done tremendous business and their handle has greatly improved. But as soon as they come off the turf for the winter, the bottom drops out. Seems to me an adjustment of racing dates is in order to capitalize on the turf course. MJC could exploit the OTB market in MD by requesting a repeal of the OTB law that prohibits an OTB be placed within a 30 mie radius of any racetrack. That means no OTB's anywhere except the eastern shore, far south MD, of west of Frederick. They should have one or two tv's, and an autotote machine, in every bar and restaurant in the state broadcasting live racing. They have a stupid computer generated horse racing keno game in every place so why not live racing? Because they are too stupid to do it. They'll never do any of this though - they are all too busy standing on the street corner with their hands stuck out waiting for slot money.
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