'KY in Crisis' Special

[booner]

Good show yesterday Steve. I haven't had the chance to listen to it in it's entirety, but the segment with Daymon Thayer was good. I really looking forward to next week's show.

Riot, you have very good points. I agree with practically everything you posted.

I have talked up the gambling issue around here, and most people either don't want it (the "moral" issue ) or just don't care. When I try to explain to them how much the horse industry has done for the state, their first response is "I don't live in Lexington or Louisville". They are so focused on their own little piece of property that they can't see past the end of their nose.

One other thing that people bring up is the state lottery. People think that any other form of gambling in the state will only be put into place to make the "rich richer" and no money would go to the rural areas to help. The lottery has soured many's opinions on all other types of gambling.

[Benny Leger]

Let us not discount the enourmous amount of money that the casino operators in the neighboring states to KY spend trying to keep this from happening. Where do you think these church groups are getting the money to oppose casino gambling. It ain't coming from the offering plate. The casino operators IMO will gladly get behind the issue if they are allowed to put up free standing casinos(away from the tracks) so they don't have to share the money with the Horse industry. There is a reason Jerry Carroll sold Turfway Park about the same time 3 casinos opened in Indiana only 45 mins. away. On any given night, easily 3/4ths of the cars in the parking lots of these casinos have Ohio or KY plates. Nobody lives in this part of Indiana. The Greater Cincinnati/Northern KY populace is the target group. I'm sure many of our politicians in KY are also recieving money from the casino operators to keep the waters muddied up. KY legistrators must take the lead and assure horseman and Track operators that any casino gambling will only go forward in this state in conjuction with the Horse industry. Otherwise, Tracks and Horsemen will be reluctant to unite for a cause that could sign their death notice.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Benny Leger

Let us not discount the enourmous amount of money that the casino operators in the neighboring states to KY spend trying to keep this from happening. Where do you think these church groups are getting the money to oppose casino gambling. It ain't coming from the offering plate. The casino operators IMO will gladly get behind the issue if they are allowed to put up free standing casinos(away from the tracks) so they don't have to share the money with the Horse industry. There is a reason Jerry Carroll sold Turfway Park about the same time 3 casinos opened in Indiana only 45 mins. away. On any given night, easily 3/4ths of the cars in the parking lots of these casinos have Ohio or KY plates. Nobody lives in this part of Indiana. The Greater Cincinnati/Northern KY populace is the target group. I'm sure many of our politicians in KY are also recieving money from the casino operators to keep the waters muddied up. KY legistrators must take the lead and assure horseman and Track operators that any casino gambling will only go forward in this state in conjuction with the Horse industry. Otherwise, Tracks and Horsemen will be reluctant to unite for a cause that could sign their death notice.

very true. The religious groups could care less what goes on at racetracks. The fact that certain individuals are getting their pockets lined to stir up these people seems to be missed. The casinos are very good at organizing opposition and they are controlling this fight with their money. They are paying people to call their legislators about this issue. Polls have consistently shown that expanded would pass if given to the voters which is why the opposition has fought to keep it off the ballot. Much cheaper to fight it before it gets on the ballot.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Polls have consistently shown that expanded would pass if given to the voters which is why the opposition has fought to keep it off the ballot. Much cheaper to fight it before it gets on the ballot.

Is that dependent upon good turnout in the cities? (those counties that tint towards blue)

[Benny Leger]

Notice the consistent drop in purses illustrated in the chart included in the Blood Horse article that GBBob linked. The drop coincides with the opening of casino gambling in Indiana. 3 boats within 45 min. of Turfway Park. It's a double whammy for TP. IF THE SUN IS WARM AND THE BEER IS COLD (Kee and CD - April thru Nov. ) people may choose the Track to be outside and enjoy the weather. The guts of Turfways meet comes in the dead of winter when people don't care to be outside. It ain't hard. On site handle down....purses down !!! KY better wake up before it's too late.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Riot

Is that dependent upon good turnout in the cities? (those counties that tint towards blue)

It will pass if it gets on the ballot especially in bad economic times. The counties that tint blue dont have that many people. Of course if it does get on the ballot we will be swamped by tv and radio ads that will spout untruths and bs religous crap that will be entirely funded by the Casinos.

[Benny Leger]

Spot on Cannon...BTW...Nice job on "ATRAB" Wed....very eloquent. If we are not careful we will screw up the one thing Kentucky is famous for WORLD WIDE.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

It will pass if it gets on the ballot especially in bad economic times. The counties that tint blue dont have that many people. Of course if it does get on the ballot we will be swamped by tv and radio ads that will spout untruths and bs religous crap that will be entirely funded by the Casinos.

Exactly what happened here in Florida. The number one contributor to the anti-slots campaign? The Seminole and Miccosukee Indians. Why didn't they want the pari-mutuel tracks and frontons to get slots? Because they already had them and had the market cornered. So they funded all of these ads that told the TV watching public how awful gambling was, how it was going to leave them all broke and bring the "criminal element" to your neighborhoods. All the while, they are raking in through their own slots.

Now, since Dade and Broward Co. have slots (and they lost their monopoly), they want full table games, so they have been stumping in Tallahassee telling everyone within earshot how great they are for the community and how many thousands of jobs the table games will create.

[Riot]

Excerpts from todays Lexington Herald-Leader:

"House panel OKs bill for slots at tracks. But Stumbo doubts it will pass full house this session."

"Despite Thursday's swift action, the slots bill proposed by House Speaker Greg Stumbo will go to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, where Stumbo said it might be shelved for the session."

Stumbo said it was up to the horse industry to makes it's case (meaning don't expect politicians to put their butts on the line supporting this publically)

"Gov. Beshear said he would not object to including slots in the tax debate but said his hands are presently full with the state's budget crisis"

"Opponents of expanded gambling objected to the fact that copies of the bill were not available before the meeting."

"Although she called the committee's action "a travesty" because of the lack of public input, the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper, executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches, said she does not see Thursday night's vote as significant."

New licensing structure: Turfway would pay highest fee $125 million, Keeneland and The Red Mile would share a slots license with a fee of $100 million. Churchill buys it's own at $100 million.

Flat 28 percent tax rate on proceeds from slots for the first five years (to the state), then 28 percent tax on first $100 million in revenue and 38 percent on anything above that.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Benny Leger

Let us not discount the enourmous amount of money that the casino operators in the neighboring states to KY spend trying to keep this from happening.

I'm sure many of our politicians in KY are also recieving money from the casino operators to keep the waters muddied up. KY legistrators must take the lead and assure horseman and Track operators that any casino gambling will only go forward in this state in conjuction with the Horse industry.

I agree with what you say, but I think the money from the casino operators fighting this really only affects those politicians in the larger, more urban counties: those politicians who know how much revenue gambling will generate, and do not fear an ultra-conservative constituency not wanting to re-elect them if they voted in favor. These are the guys subject to being paid to hold an "against" position.