Very exciting news for those of us in Tx or the 3 other horse racing states that don't have gaming support, the news this week for Ohio and Kentucky is very exciting!
I was born and raised in Ohio, and love Ohio racing. Thistledown, Beulah, and River Downs have been hurt badly by what's going on in the surrounding states and the VLT revenue.
I will be watching closely, and hoping for them both!
Maybe, we'll get broke enough in Tx that our Governor will think about the state, and give us what we need down here! I'm not holding my breath for us in the lone star state, but this is very welcome news for Ohio and Ky.
Theo
Slots in KY and OH
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mini's mom
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well here in nh the legislature (c. l600) decided that it would change the way of life in nh and voted against to expand gambling in this state.
Now we have same sex marriage, legalized pot use, tax on cigaretts (going up 5.00 per carton on 7/1), liquor sales, bingo & some gambling ie lottery & cards but we can't go to a casino or racino and drop a quarter for slots
The nh state government has not now lay off 200 employees, close the prison in laconia (with no place to put the inmates), raise user fees ie car registrations, tax some gambling winnings & raise the tax on cigaretts -
does this make sense - see how fast people go to foxwoods & mohegan sun & suffolk downs to gamble - taking all of their money with them
you can thank jim belvins for this now can't we
minismom
Now we have same sex marriage, legalized pot use, tax on cigaretts (going up 5.00 per carton on 7/1), liquor sales, bingo & some gambling ie lottery & cards but we can't go to a casino or racino and drop a quarter for slots
The nh state government has not now lay off 200 employees, close the prison in laconia (with no place to put the inmates), raise user fees ie car registrations, tax some gambling winnings & raise the tax on cigaretts -
does this make sense - see how fast people go to foxwoods & mohegan sun & suffolk downs to gamble - taking all of their money with them
you can thank jim belvins for this now can't we
minismom
Well, according to the latest news, it is dead in both Kentucky and Ohio. In both states it was the state senate that refused to cooperate. Of course, things are dead in Texas as well.
In Texas, they used the excuse that since they got $12 billion in federal stimulus money, that additional revenues from gambling were not needed. Of course that did not keep the politicians from taking an estimated $10 million in lobby monies to pretend to consider the issue. Politically, gambling is the gift that just keeps on giving.
It is a sad story.
Bedouwia
In Texas, they used the excuse that since they got $12 billion in federal stimulus money, that additional revenues from gambling were not needed. Of course that did not keep the politicians from taking an estimated $10 million in lobby monies to pretend to consider the issue. Politically, gambling is the gift that just keeps on giving.
It is a sad story.
Bedouwia
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mini's mom
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in nh john sunnunu jr is in the pocket of moheghan sun with lobbist money - his friend is jim rubens (sorry I posted the wrong name ) the other creep who is against this is billy belvins (who claims that if nh gets slots it will increase "sin" & degrade the quality of life - we will all go to the poor house he means - with all the higher taxes that we have to pay -
it is a sad state of affairs to think that the nh government can now tell us how & where to spend out money
like I said - suffolk will get them this year and people will be flocking to mass & ct to gamble - they already have them in rhode island & connecticut so what is wrong with nh
minis mom
it is a sad state of affairs to think that the nh government can now tell us how & where to spend out money
like I said - suffolk will get them this year and people will be flocking to mass & ct to gamble - they already have them in rhode island & connecticut so what is wrong with nh
minis mom
In Ohio, a compromise has been reached between the State Senate and the Governor, to be finalized by the budget vote on Wednesday.
VLTs will be installed in Ohio's seven racetracks as part of the Ohio Lottery. By defining VLTs as part of the Lottery (by vote of the General Assembly), the Governor has the authority to have VLTs installed by executive order.
For a little background, four different casino/slot/VLT issues have been resoundingly defeated by the voters. The Governor (a retired Methodist preacher) and the President of the State Senate both have real problems with this on moral grounds, but are holding their noses and going ahead because they've cut every program they can think of for the poor, disabled, mentally ill, etc. and are still in a deep budget hole. Ohio requires a balanced budget, and VLTs are estimated to bring in $933 million for the two year budget.
Now, will someone build a multi-million dollar casino at a track if the next Governor could undo this decision by executive order? Will the chief opponents of VLTs, a group called The Ohio Roundtable, get the issue on the ballot again, and would voters reject VLTs again with our economy so in the dumpster?
Me-oh-my-o-hi-o
VLTs will be installed in Ohio's seven racetracks as part of the Ohio Lottery. By defining VLTs as part of the Lottery (by vote of the General Assembly), the Governor has the authority to have VLTs installed by executive order.
For a little background, four different casino/slot/VLT issues have been resoundingly defeated by the voters. The Governor (a retired Methodist preacher) and the President of the State Senate both have real problems with this on moral grounds, but are holding their noses and going ahead because they've cut every program they can think of for the poor, disabled, mentally ill, etc. and are still in a deep budget hole. Ohio requires a balanced budget, and VLTs are estimated to bring in $933 million for the two year budget.
Now, will someone build a multi-million dollar casino at a track if the next Governor could undo this decision by executive order? Will the chief opponents of VLTs, a group called The Ohio Roundtable, get the issue on the ballot again, and would voters reject VLTs again with our economy so in the dumpster?
Me-oh-my-o-hi-o
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mini's mom
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slots or lack of them
as it is now people are pissed at paying 2c more for acup of coffee at dunkin donuts - it is not dd but the legislature that is causing them to be taxed more
so I tell them that if they want to complaine then go to them - they voted against the slots and to raise other taxes
we willkeep fighting for them - if they go in at suffolk people from nh will go there spend money gambling - but the legislature has no one to blame but themselves
susan
so I tell them that if they want to complaine then go to them - they voted against the slots and to raise other taxes
we willkeep fighting for them - if they go in at suffolk people from nh will go there spend money gambling - but the legislature has no one to blame but themselves
susan
Today's news is that The Ohio Roundtable has announced they will definitely sue to stop the installation of VLTs by executive order.
Here's their argument: The Ohio Constitution does allow ticketed lottery games, but prohibits "schemes of chance." The Constitution cannot be changed by executive order, and a bill passed by the general assembly stating that VLTs are part of the Ohio Lottery would not stand because no tickets are issued.
Here's their argument: The Ohio Constitution does allow ticketed lottery games, but prohibits "schemes of chance." The Constitution cannot be changed by executive order, and a bill passed by the general assembly stating that VLTs are part of the Ohio Lottery would not stand because no tickets are issued.
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jrgators
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At this point guys, all we can do is keep watching and waiting.
The good news is that things have finally gotten bad enough for these guys (the state govt), that they are going to help themselves, and accidently help us.
I have been wanting to move back home, and I tell you what, slots at Thistledown may be enough to get me back to shoveling snow.....
Well, maybe i'm getting a bit too excited!
I'll think about the snow thing, right now it's 103 here in Austin, so snow doesn't sound like a bad thing, but I bet in Mid Feb, snow isn't appealing AT ALL!
Theo
The good news is that things have finally gotten bad enough for these guys (the state govt), that they are going to help themselves, and accidently help us.
I have been wanting to move back home, and I tell you what, slots at Thistledown may be enough to get me back to shoveling snow.....
Well, maybe i'm getting a bit too excited!
I'll think about the snow thing, right now it's 103 here in Austin, so snow doesn't sound like a bad thing, but I bet in Mid Feb, snow isn't appealing AT ALL!
Theo
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mini's mom
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slots - weather
well here in nh we have had 3 weeks of rain (most of june) & now in july it is late may/june weather but it is nice - it is sort of mudd season late this year
snow & cold - well we put up with it
there is talk that rockingham is all done - racing is a thing of the past - they are playing poker all the time & having trade shows
I really doubt that we will ever have tb racing again in nh as the legislature is old school (l600's ) & slots will degrade the quality of life -
suffolk (in Massachusetts) is going to get them before we do but that is not anyone'f fault but the legislators who voted in the increased taxes - people are pissed over 2c more for a cup of coffee
susan
snow & cold - well we put up with it
there is talk that rockingham is all done - racing is a thing of the past - they are playing poker all the time & having trade shows
I really doubt that we will ever have tb racing again in nh as the legislature is old school (l600's ) & slots will degrade the quality of life -
suffolk (in Massachusetts) is going to get them before we do but that is not anyone'f fault but the legislators who voted in the increased taxes - people are pissed over 2c more for a cup of coffee
susan
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mini's mom
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slots /nh update
here is an article published sunday in the nashua nh paper
don't know if anything will come of it
Gambling panel should get going
The most aggressive effort in recent history to expand legalized gambling in New Hampshire came up short last month, with Gov. John Lynch declaring in the waning hours of the budget battle that “gambling is off the table for this session.”
In so doing, he promised to appoint a blue-ribbon panel or commission to study the idea and submit recommendations.
The governor should get this panel appointed, with fair representation for all points of view, as soon as possible. The state has a permanent revenue problem that will continue even when the recession ends. Tinkering at the edges with fees and taxes can only go so far, as the current budget demonstrates.
A major new source of revenue is needed, particularly if the state is to meet its court-ordered obligation to fund education. Broad-based taxes are permanently off the table, and spending cuts alone will not do the job. Gambling needs a more serious review than it was afforded in the last legislative session.
A blue-ribbon panel can provide that review and offer the governor political cover to overcome the opposition of a reluctant House of Representatives.
KEY POINTS
BACKGROUND: Gov. John Lynch promised to create a commission to study the potential for expanded gambling in New Hampshire, after several gambling proposals failed in the last legislative session.
CONCLUSION: This study should be launched as soon as possible and should use the experience of states like Maine and Pennsylvania, not New Jersey and Nevada, for its research.
All the gambling proposals that emerged in the past year should get a fair analysis, including slot machines at existing racetracks and full-scale casinos in Hudson and North Country locations.
The commission might also take a look at the experience of other states like Maine, where limited gambling has contributed significantly to the state budget without turning Bangor into Atlantic City.
The Bangor Daily News recently completed an analysis of Hollywood Slots, the $138 million casino that opened on Main Street a year ago and recently doubled its number of slot machines, despite the concerns of opponents.
The casino has attracted 1.3 million visitors in its first year and pumped millions into the local and state treasury. According to the Bangor daily, the city has received about $6 million to put toward a new auditorium, and more than $3.5 million has been put into scholarship funds.
“As the business continues to generate revenue at a steady pace even in tough economic times, perhaps the best thing that can be said about Hollywood Slots is that it has blended almost quietly into the Bangor business landscape,” the newspaper reports.
The article goes on to quote Bangor City Council Chairman Gerry Palmer, a skeptic at first, who has changed his tone.
“I like to tell anyone who will listen I’m pleased at what this adds,” he said. “It’s created another entertainment option for residents and visitors; it’s pumped life into the harness racing industry, which had been dying, and it’s helping us get close to the goal of a new auditorium.”
The experience of Pennsylvania is also instructive. The Pocono Record reports that tax revenue from slots grew to almost $1 billion for the year ending June 30 – an increase of 25 percent over the previous year, when Pennsylvania’s licensed slots parlors generated $773 million for the state.
When pointing to the social ills of gambling, opponents are fond of citing locations such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas, which is a red herring. No one is talking about creating an Atlantic City in New Hampshire.
The proposals for slots at New Hampshire racetracks or a casino in Hudson are more on the model of the Maine and Pennsylvania experiment – both of which are doing quite well by all accounts.
The commission the governor promised to appoint has plenty of data from such states to fuel its research and needs to get going as soon as possible.
minismom
don't know if anything will come of it
Gambling panel should get going
The most aggressive effort in recent history to expand legalized gambling in New Hampshire came up short last month, with Gov. John Lynch declaring in the waning hours of the budget battle that “gambling is off the table for this session.”
In so doing, he promised to appoint a blue-ribbon panel or commission to study the idea and submit recommendations.
The governor should get this panel appointed, with fair representation for all points of view, as soon as possible. The state has a permanent revenue problem that will continue even when the recession ends. Tinkering at the edges with fees and taxes can only go so far, as the current budget demonstrates.
A major new source of revenue is needed, particularly if the state is to meet its court-ordered obligation to fund education. Broad-based taxes are permanently off the table, and spending cuts alone will not do the job. Gambling needs a more serious review than it was afforded in the last legislative session.
A blue-ribbon panel can provide that review and offer the governor political cover to overcome the opposition of a reluctant House of Representatives.
KEY POINTS
BACKGROUND: Gov. John Lynch promised to create a commission to study the potential for expanded gambling in New Hampshire, after several gambling proposals failed in the last legislative session.
CONCLUSION: This study should be launched as soon as possible and should use the experience of states like Maine and Pennsylvania, not New Jersey and Nevada, for its research.
All the gambling proposals that emerged in the past year should get a fair analysis, including slot machines at existing racetracks and full-scale casinos in Hudson and North Country locations.
The commission might also take a look at the experience of other states like Maine, where limited gambling has contributed significantly to the state budget without turning Bangor into Atlantic City.
The Bangor Daily News recently completed an analysis of Hollywood Slots, the $138 million casino that opened on Main Street a year ago and recently doubled its number of slot machines, despite the concerns of opponents.
The casino has attracted 1.3 million visitors in its first year and pumped millions into the local and state treasury. According to the Bangor daily, the city has received about $6 million to put toward a new auditorium, and more than $3.5 million has been put into scholarship funds.
“As the business continues to generate revenue at a steady pace even in tough economic times, perhaps the best thing that can be said about Hollywood Slots is that it has blended almost quietly into the Bangor business landscape,” the newspaper reports.
The article goes on to quote Bangor City Council Chairman Gerry Palmer, a skeptic at first, who has changed his tone.
“I like to tell anyone who will listen I’m pleased at what this adds,” he said. “It’s created another entertainment option for residents and visitors; it’s pumped life into the harness racing industry, which had been dying, and it’s helping us get close to the goal of a new auditorium.”
The experience of Pennsylvania is also instructive. The Pocono Record reports that tax revenue from slots grew to almost $1 billion for the year ending June 30 – an increase of 25 percent over the previous year, when Pennsylvania’s licensed slots parlors generated $773 million for the state.
When pointing to the social ills of gambling, opponents are fond of citing locations such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas, which is a red herring. No one is talking about creating an Atlantic City in New Hampshire.
The proposals for slots at New Hampshire racetracks or a casino in Hudson are more on the model of the Maine and Pennsylvania experiment – both of which are doing quite well by all accounts.
The commission the governor promised to appoint has plenty of data from such states to fuel its research and needs to get going as soon as possible.
minismom
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jrgators
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Thanks for the article!
Very good news, and hopefully it will translate into something for your state.
Texas? We're doomed! LOL
I spoke with yet another Texan yesterday who's thrown in the towel! 45 acre ranch, with training track, so forth and so on. He's not breeding, not training, not racing, actually gave away his last 2 horses. Here's a guy who can do all his own work, and he's called it quits.
We need to see something happen.
Theo
Very good news, and hopefully it will translate into something for your state.
Texas? We're doomed! LOL
I spoke with yet another Texan yesterday who's thrown in the towel! 45 acre ranch, with training track, so forth and so on. He's not breeding, not training, not racing, actually gave away his last 2 horses. Here's a guy who can do all his own work, and he's called it quits.
We need to see something happen.
Theo
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jrgators
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I don't know how to post the link, but there is an article today in the bloodhorse.com site that the racinos have been approved at the 7 tracks in ohio for 24hr 7 day a week operations.
i have spoken with several friends back at Thistledown, and they are incredibly excited about the money that will be coming their way. Not going to be nearly as much as it should be, but it will be a TON better than what we have going on in Texas!
Theo
i have spoken with several friends back at Thistledown, and they are incredibly excited about the money that will be coming their way. Not going to be nearly as much as it should be, but it will be a TON better than what we have going on in Texas!
Theo