Texas Racing

[casp0555]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The "funding" the tracks are waiting on is money the Racing Commission hands over to the state then is returned to them when the calendar resets before September 1. This is money that the state has no claim to, and some members of the Legislative Budget Board are holding the TxRC hostage.

It started with the historical racing terminals and the Commission's attempt to put them in place with no involvement from legislators. Their intention was to handle it themselves because the wagering on a historical racing terminal is by nature pari-mutuel. The bible belt representatives, members of the Kickapoo tribe that operate a casino in Eagle Pass, and the organizers of various bingo games throughout the state had a fit. They went to their respective legislators and claimed that the machines are basically slot machines (I have never actually seen a historical racing terminal and quite honestly the idea of playing one is anathema to me).

So, in response, the legislators tied funding of the TxRC to a rider in the budget and more or less implied that they needed to back down from the historical racing or they would not be funded. The political support is for the tracks, it's just the Lt. Gov (who's a self righteous windbag) and one particular senator from the Dallas area who are causing issues. The rest of the members of the LBB have said that they do not feel like funding should be tied to anything regarding historical racing.

In the meantime, the brass at Sam Houston was handing out letters over the weekend saying they are not closing at year's end (like Gulf Greyhound Park, which is) and that even if there's no funding, the racetrack will continue to operate until the TX Dept of Public Safety physically comes in and shuts the doors.

It's just amazing.

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse for Texas ddn't like him when he was a sports reporter or radio host....had him on auto channel change