[tector]

Re TBD:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/st...ms-531295.html

Excerpt:

Palm Beach Kennel Club owner Pat Rooney Jr. was disappointed with the latest negotiations, however.

He and pari-mutuel owners in Tampa Bay and elsewhere in the state had hoped lawmakers would allow them to operate video slot machines, or "slots-lite" to boost their revenue and compete with the nearby Seminole casinos.

"Just from an economic standpoint, we're at a disadvantage with the product they have," said Rooney, who is running for state House.

Rooney's lobbyists have been walking the Capitol halls for more than a year to drum up support for their issue. Rooney said he's at the mercy of the legislature.

"Sometimes we agree and sometimes we disagree. On this one, obviously we feel like if we were given the opportunity to compete we could. They're essentially making the decision that they're not going to allow us to do that," he said.

The Senate's head gambling negotiator Dennis Jones said lawmakers considered PBKC and the Tampa Bay tracks but left them out because "we didn't feel it was a big enough issue to take all the other positions and put them at risk."

Rooney concluded with a statement regarding the Seminole compact and other deals that rang throughout the Capitol on Tuesday: "It is what it is."

"We'll keep fighting. You can fight as long as you want. But at some point it is what it is," he said.