Horse racing's slow death

[MariaSharapova]

Connecticut(sp?)legislature restricts casino
competition in order to subsidise two fake
indian tribes.Although they do this for their
own reasons.Why wouldn't legislators in other
states not follow suit to protect and subsidise
horse owners,breeders etc??a group that has
more political clout(at least before casinos
in connecticut)in comparison to the fake indians??
In kentucky,they will do everything possible
to save their racetracks.even turfway.

 

[WildBill]

Cause Maria, the money is just too much to ignore. It is all an investment, pure and simple. The terms for PA are that 9% of the slot win goes to the horseman for purse enhancements and a few other programs. Rendell backs numbers that say the slot win will be $3 billion a year, I think they might hit $2 billion. In any case at $2 billion that is $180 million dollar "investment" the state is making for horse racing. Is it really worth it? They will "protect" the tax revenues they get now from racing, but that amount isn't anywhere near $50 million. The jobs they "protect" in the state, how much are they really earning by having a second rate industry like that? In short the math just doesn't add up. They can make the argument to save the industry in some states like Kentucky, but not all of them. Does the industry and the country really need 20 to 30 states raising race horses anyways?

 

[MariaSharapova]

I'm not saying you aren't making a valid argument.In Iowa there has been some rumbling
about this,but not in delaware or west virginia. Yet anyway.
but some have advanced a similar argument
in Connecticut without too much success. "why
should the fake indians(along with some
investment bankers and lawyers)reap such a
huge windfall". Someone wants to put a casino
in Bridgeport at the dog track.Don't expect
that ever to happen without Chief Dealem Blackjack at Mohegan,and Princess Rollem Hard
Eight at Foxwoods being cut in on the deal.

 

[miked429]

maria,as far as conn.goes you will never see a casino in bridgeport.i dont care if jesus christ himself came down with the indians from mohegan sun and foxwoods.the people with all the money in lower fairfield county run the state of conn.and they dont want a casino in brideport.end of story.

 

[GREENHEAD]

Wild Bill, I quit reading your responce after one sentence.AT 9:41pm you write "Why are all the track owners claiming poverty".
You exagerate too much,your hypotheticals are terrible and your analogy is just too off.Pick a new subject.You get a big F on this one!!!!!

 

[FunkSoulBrother]

As a guy in his twenties who has many friends my age who gamble, I can tell you not one of us is really interested in this horseracing. And we are country boys, too. I can't speak for the whole country but it can't be good for this industry.

To me its like glorified Keno.. I don't know how you'd even attempt to go about capping a horse race and I don't really want to. Hell I'm not even sure how I feel about it ethically.

But in summary from the perspective of a young man, it is an old man's game on the decline.

 

[TheGeneral+]

Judge said it best. It is not what it used to be.

 

[Skyweasel]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Greenhead:
Wild Bill, I quit reading your responce after one sentence.AT 9:41pm you write "Why are all the track owners claiming poverty".
You exagerate too much,your hypotheticals are terrible and your analogy is just too off.Pick a new subject.You get a big F on this one!!!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You (and others in this thread) have discovered the Wild Bill style. I think he took a course somewhere called "The Lazy Man's Way to a Journalism Career", because he never does anything resembling research or legwork, he just sits down and pours out whatever comes off the top of his head. This is hardly the first article of his which fits the bill, they pretty much all do, except when he took that island trip. Then he actually was off his duff and doing some research for a change.

 

[jamesbong]

Uh oh. If horseracing dies, I might actually have to get a job : (

 

[TheGeneral+]

Wildbill is an asset to this forum. His writing is meant to stir debate. That is good journalism IMO. Share your opinions and hope the readers can appreciate the issue and contribute good discussion.

Thanks Wildbill

 

[Trackchampion]

WB had some good opinions on track ownership, who foolishly HIDES their product from millions of potential players and refuses to step into the new millennium,

But the fans and players are still there, either playing at the track or finding alternative ways to place a wager; otherwise we wouldn't even be having this discussion...horse racing would have died a long time ago.

 

[aawied]

What is killing Racing OTBS offshore because horsemen are not getting there share handle up purses down cost up. If you do pay the people properly who put on the owners trainers,they will all get aggravated and because of costwill leave the business.You see it happening evry where atthe small tracks ,it has become ahobby for rich people not enought people make money to call it a business .Good for tax wrote -offs