Strickland & Horsemen Meet
June 6, 2010
Nearly 400 Ohio Standardbred and Thoroughbred horsemen met Sunday, June 6 with Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to express their collective desire for alternative gaming at the state's seven racetracks.
Held at Elizabeth Alexander's Eutrophia Farms, east of Cleveland, Gov. Strickland spoke about his executive order for installing video lottery terminals (VLTs) at Ohio's seven racetracks, and answered questions from horsemen's group leaders and gave horsemen a voice to express their concerns on the state of the industry.
"I'm happy to be here tonight," said Strickland (D-Lucasville). "I'm happy to learn from your leadership. Dr. Mossbarger and others have taken their time to make me a more educated governor about the industry, what it means and what it needs."
Strickland had previously gathered favor from horsemen's groups when, last July, he ordered the installation of VLTs at racetracks as a way to alleviate the state's budget woes.
Since then, his plan has run into several obstacles, including the passage of a constitutional amendment allowing four free-standing casinos, and most recently, a referendum this coming November that will require voters to decide whether or not to allow the terminals at tracks. Strickland has been steadfast in his decision, despite the political heat that he has endured.
"I did not support the casinos," Strickland told the crowd. "I felt that, quite frankly, that if gambling were to be expanded in Ohio, that it just made sense that it would occur at our racetracks. That is where communities had accepted gambling, and I continue to believe that. I will, in my capacity, try to make sure that the initiative on the ballot is unsuccessful."
Horsemen's groups contend that if the VLTs are not installed and the purse structure does not subsequently improve shortly, that 15,000 jobs will be lost. Also, tracks such as Scioto Downs have made public their plans to shut down if the referendum is not defeated. Horsemen are saying that they'll simply leave the state to pursue more lucrative purses elsewhere.
"I train 28 head and have nine employees, and if slots don't go through, I'll be forced to pack up and leave Ohio," said trainer Clair Umholtz, who races primarily at Northfield Park. "Most of my employees won't be able to come along, and I haven't ever raced outside the state." |
|
