Maryland Racing in trouble

[Songofthesword]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ar-slots-horse-racing-20101029,0,3222685.story


I don't pretend to know all of the inner workings of what is going on here, but it doesn't look good.

They say they are leaving the decision in the voters hands, I don't know if that is a good thing.

[Miss Woodford]

Isn't it always?

[GinTalking]

They say they are leaving the decision in the voters hands, I don't know if that is a good thing.

The voters are not the voters of Maryland, but only voters in Anne Arundel County. For instance, I have no vote.

Cordish's ads are very misleading and some are just plain lies. They're running a pretty nasty campaign. But which political ads these days aren't misleading or lies. Not many unfortunately.

[Songofthesword]

The voters are not the voters of Maryland, but only voters in Anne Arundel County. For instance, I have no vote.

Cordish's ads are very misleading and some are just plain lies. They're running a pretty nasty campaign. But which political ads these days aren't misleading or lies. Not many unfortunately.

So you think they vote yes or no? What does it look like? Also, do you think racing in Maryland is seriously doomed if they vote against the mall slots?

[GinTalking]

So you think they vote yes or no? What does it look like? Also, do you think racing in Maryland is seriously doomed if they vote against the mall slots?

I really can't call it. I know the Cordish ads are very misleading. I know that he announced to the local AA County businesses that they could buy into the casino for a relatively small fee (something like $50,000) in an effort to bring the business community over to his side, and of course they thought that was a marvy idea. What business wouldn't think it was great to be able to participate in raking in money from slots.

Before I left town, I think the polls were saying 47% voting for, 45% against, but there's that 3-5% leeway. Who knows. I'm not sure I trust polls very much.

I guess if Tom Chuckas says there won't be racing at Laurel, then there won't be. He's in charge. I can't imagine why anyone would let Laurel go after spending all that money on restructuring the tracks ... dirt and turf.

I'm so tired of hearing all of this for so long. If you whine and complain too much, pretty soon there isn't anything left to whine about. There's a point at which you have to stop complaining and start acting and thinking positively.

[WarEmblemluvr]

So you think they vote yes or no? What does it look like? Also, do you think racing in Maryland is seriously doomed if they vote against the mall slots?

Not sure if you just made a mistake in your post, but the Maryland Jockey Club is AGAINST slots at the mall, and therefore AGAINST Question A. I can't vote on the question either, because I don't live in Anne Arundel County, unfortunately. As previously said, it's not a statewide vote, just a county vote. The MJC wants the opportunity to put slots at Laurel. It would be so sad to lose racing as we know it here in MD. And Laurel Park is a beautiful track.

[Songofthesword]

At least you guys have the pink pony

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy99/ghostzapper/pinkpony.jpg

[Moonglow756]

What puzzles me is that even if slots are placed at the Mall, the horse racing industry will get a share of that revenue. So why is the MJC threatening to shut down Laurel?

[merse]

What puzzles me is that even if slots are placed at the Mall, the horse racing industry will get a share of that revenue. So why is the MJC threatening to shut down Laurel?

...because, the MJC won't be getting the slots money (only matching funds to upgrade/rehab the facilities).

[Laurierace]

You know, as a Marylander I obviously want to see racing continue in Maryland. I do feel like MJC has no one to blame but themselves for getting into this mess slot wise however. And even if the public votes against slots at the mall that doesn't guarantee that slots will go in at Laurel as the MJC never paid the application fee. As it stands now, they were never in the running in the first place. Over a decade begging for slots and when the time comes the asshat's don't pay the application fee! Maybe they are just too stupid to be allowed to survive?

[GinTalking]

What puzzles me is that even if slots are placed at the Mall, the horse racing industry will get a share of that revenue. So why is the MJC threatening to shut down Laurel?

I'm guessing they won't play because they won't have any of the money to play with. The purse account is already receiving money and will receive more when Ocean Downs opens up.

So wouldn't you think that the horses and horsemen will be okay ... but since the track won't get to participate, they will close.

Funny, but I messaged Georganne last week with just this question and she said as far as she knew, they weren't closing the track ... wouldn't you think someone whose entire livelihood depends on the track being open would know? Horsemen can always go elsewhere, but MJC employees can't.

Beats me ... if their own folks don't know what's going on, I don't know why the rest of us should.

[GinTalking]

Doesn't Penn Gaming have a say in what happens?

[Songofthesword]

Penn is the one probably paying for the ads for the mall slots. the longer there are no slots at Maryland tracks, the less direct competition



mall is getting slots btw. I kinda feel bad for maryland racing people.

[Forry Cow How]

I think I heard on the radio driving to work this morning that the voters in Anne Arundel County approved slots at Arundel Mills. Does that mean that Laurel will be closed? I hope not. I live in Laurel and moved there because of the track.

[GinTalking]

Penn is the one probably paying for the ads for the mall slots. the longer there are no slots at Maryland tracks, the less direct competition


I think Cordish paid for the slots at the mall. At least that would make sense and the pro-slots ads even talked about those awful folks from out of town ... that MD doesn't want THEM owning something locally. Problem is they already own the first slots parlor to open in Maryland, in Perryville.

Plus Penn Gaming has a stake in the MJC.

Of course who really knows who finances what these days, but that they'd fund ads that speak out against them seems unlikely.

[Laurierace]

Who knows how much of it is true but Cordish did say if he got slots at the mall that he would buy Laurel and Pimlico and fix it up with his own money. Truthfully I am to the point where I don't really care anymore. The only thing I don't want to lose is the Preakness but I believe that is safe regardless of what happens. Time will tell.

[Vandalay]

I'm kinda torn myself,...I've been saying that MD racing needs to go thru a "correction" of sorts..here's what I would change..


1. We can no longer race 120-to 150 days a year...I feel that maybe 70-90 days a year (in MD) would be enough

2. Seriously consider putting up lights and racing in the evening/twilight hours,..c'mon who can go to the track at 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon?

3. Use the slots $$ to re-build the stakes program,..bring back races like the Selima, & the DeFrancis dash..Racing is at it's best when it's EVENT driven..

OK Mr Cordish,..the balls in your court

[Laurierace]

That has to be a tough decision but if forced to chose between Pimlico and Laurel, Pimlico wins hands down in my book. You can not run the Preakness at Laurel and without the Preakness there is no Maryland racing.

[second_glance]

I think I heard on the radio driving to work this morning that the voters in Anne Arundel County approved slots at Arundel Mills. Does that mean that Laurel will be closed? I hope not. I live in Laurel and moved there because of the track.

There's a new thread on this with links to the stories. Laurel will be closed to racing after this meet. An OTB will be built there, and the rest of the land developed. Bowie will be closed.

That's the plan; there's a hearing later this month. [See the latest TT link.]

http://www.thoroughbredchampions.com/showthread.php/3585-No-more-racing-at-Laurel-Park

[Songofthesword]

I wonder if the guy who said he would hire all the people who got fired is going to stick to his word. I doubt it.

Can't blame him though, this is horse racing problem, not the general public. Resist change, dont' listen to your bettors you won't stay in business. Others take heed.

[Prairie Bayou]

The thing is joe public doesn't care where they are in the county only that they are there. The ads leading the campaign for question A this week were awful saying that it was illegal for Laurel to have them there. Which is a lie. They also made it seem like without them going to the mall it would make people jobless. Also a lie. Wherever it went it would create jobs and save some in the racing industry. No one cares about the farmers who are no longer breeding or the people they employ. They do care if you can play a penny slot for 8 hours. If Magna had been prepared (no reason they should have missed the deadline) this would have all been avoided. The 8 million spent by the MJC (going by an article I read) would have remained there instead of blowing in the November wind. Honestly they don't have a right to complain about it now. I was irritated but what can I do? I live in Baltimore County and could not vote on this issue.

[wind]

This is a shame, I used to work at Laurel and it's a nice plant. It sure beats Pimlico. But they didn't meet the deadline and they lost in the election. It's their property and I guess they can do with it what they want. Only problem is part of the property is swamp and no one will want that parcel. What a shame.


wind

[Songofthesword]

Law 13


When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest,


Never to their Mercy or Gratitude
If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.


in general, pepole do not care about your problems. they spent all that money talking about saving jobs, no one cares. I mean we cry about the jobless rate, but all we care about is that WE have a job.

they should have done a better job of selling why it will benefit them to have the slots there at the track instead of at the mall.

if i'm joe blow, i want to play slots in the mall. what's wrong with that?

why does it benefit ME to have slots at laurel? me me me me me.