Support grows for Belmont slot machines

[ShadowRoll]

In Maryland, they're talking about getting slots, but not having them at Pimlico.

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v...localnews&om=1

Could this work with Belmont? It's a complex question involving both cash and attendance. On the one hand, if there's little cross-over between slots players and horse players, then it doesn't really matter if the money comes from on-site slots or from slots at a remote location. As long as some of the money garnered from slots at Aqueduct (or wherever) is channelled to Belmont, then Belmont should be able to remain competitive with tracks in neighboring states that do have slots.

But I'm not so sure that the absence of slots does not affect attendance. Let me give you an example. At one time, Delaware Park had slots but Philly didn't. From my home, the trip to Philly or Delaware is about the same, and if I were going to the track by myself, I might go to either one. But if I was going with my wife, I'd only go to Delaware Park because she only plays the slots. I suspect that many horse players go to tracks with slots because they don't go to the track alone. If this is true, then the absence of slots could affect a tracks draw, even if most horse players personally could care less about slots.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't think that the slot machine is the panacea for the racing industry's woes that some seem to think. Those people will be mighty surprised when the slots saturation point is reached, and even tracks that do have slots begin to feel the economic pinch again. However, until that saturation point is reached, slots seem necessary for survival. A tourniquet is not an adequate substitute for surgery, but you'll still bleed to death if you don't get one. And the economic power of slots can't be denied:

http://www.marylandthoroughbred.com/...kFarmStory.pdf

What we need now, while the money from slots is still abundant, are forward thinking people who can plan for a future without slots, and who actually have the power to carry out their plans. It'll be too late when Nero starts to play his fiddle.