IHHA Update 10/26

[old and slow]

From www.harnessillinois.com

   
  Wednesday, October 26, 2011

A new gaming bill has been released (SB 747).  It gives the racing industry an impact fee instead of slots at tracks.  The most glaring problem with this bill from the horsemen's standpoint is that it remarkably gives the tracks around 85% of the impact fee money and only around 15% go to horsemen (purses).  It also weakens our racing guarantee language and removes other horsemen benefits contained in SB 744.  Additionally, this is an impact fee that would have to somehow be transferred to the horse industry.  As we know all too well, transfers to the horse industry are fraught with problems/delays (3 % money) or they simply don't happen at all (recapture reimbursement and 10th riverboat money).
Obviously, we want to consider any gaming bill that gets proposed. However, we're skeptical of any impact fee bill in general because of our bad track record with them.  Additionally, this new bill does very little to protect the future of live racing, incredibly splits the impact fee money about 85% - 15% in favor of the tracks and removes other horsemen benefits contained in SB 744.  As a result, we will oppose the passage of this bill. 
Our thoroughbred friends are also opposed to this bill. 
The bill may be called for a vote in the Senate as early as today. I'll keep providing updates as they become available. 


Dave McCaffrey

 

[newandimproved]

Boy oh boy O and S... I am really in a quandry.  I know that this version of the Bill 747 is not good...Not good at all..But based on what the gov has said and the strong backing of the Chitown legislators an Emmanuel's arm twistin, this maybe an probably will be the only one with  chance of passage and getting that idiots signature.
A piece of a pie, even a sliver, is better than no pie. 

[old and slow]

We have enough votes to kill it. 

If the mistakes of the past have taught us anything (recapture for example) it is that no bill is better than a bad bill.  We're only going to get one shot at this, we have to make sure it's right.

There is still time to fix the numbers, should that be the way we have to go, and strengthen the protection of live racing and the transfer of funds.

I can't see the boats going for it, though.  Look how they fought for the 3%, which was only $141 mill over 5 years.  I just can't see them getting behind this.

[careless hal]

 can't see the boats going for it, though.  Look how they fought for the 3%, which was only $141 mill over 5 years.  I just can't see them getting behind this.


I agree 100%.   How the hell do they come up with a 85/15 split.  That is insane.  In that case I agree that no bill is better than a bad one.

[Just Saying]

We have enough votes to kill it. 

If the mistakes of the past have taught us anything (recapture for example) it is that no bill is better than a bad bill.  We're only going to get one shot at this, we have to make sure it's right.

There is still time to fix the numbers, should that be the way we have to go, and strengthen the protection of live racing and the transfer of funds.

I can't see the boats going for it, though.  Look how they fought for the 3%, which was only $141 mill over 5 years.  I just can't see them getting behind this.

Oh thank you O&S! We accepted a turd pie when the OTB and Riverboats came in, along with recapture and we have been eating it ever since. I'm proud of you guys for not taking the bait. This is the last chance we'll have to get it right.

Great job IHHA!