SLOTS PASS IN MARYLAND

[Laurierace]

Unless they change their plan to not allow any beverages of any kind brought in to the infield this year, this Preakness will be the last. They take the ONE day of the year that they make any money and ruin it. I don't even drink beer and can see that this is a bad move. I bet attendance drops 50% or more this year and close to 100% the year after if they even hold it at all. IDIOTS!

Well it is MD and they are pros at shooting themselves in the foot.

So where does the Preakness go? Probably Laurel but I would much rather see it go to Colonial Downs or Delaware Park.

Magna is not going to move their premier race to a track someone else owns. Even they aren't stupid enough to do that. My guess would be Gulfstream or Lone Star but they might want to make it a bi-coastal deal and move it to Santa Anita. Oh the horrors....

[Thoroughbred]

Unless they change their plan to not allow any beverages of any kind brought in to the infield this year, this Preakness will be the last. They take the ONE day of the year that they make any money and ruin it. I don't even drink beer and can see that this is a bad move. I bet attendance drops 50% or more this year and close to 100% the year after if they even hold it at all. IDIOTS!

Well it is MD and they are pros at shooting themselves in the foot.

So where does the Preakness go? Probably Laurel but I would much rather see it go to Colonial Downs or Delaware Park.

Magna is not going to move their premier race to a track someone else owns. Even they aren't stupid enough to do that. My guess would be Gulfstream or Lone Star but they might want to make it a bi-coastal deal and move it to Santa Anita. Oh the horrors....

That is if Magna survives and or doesn't move out of Maryland.

[Laurierace]

Magna is already outside of Maryland at several different tracks.

[Thoroughbred]

Magna is already outside of Maryland at several different tracks.

I understand but if they sell the MD properties the key to selling them would be the Preakness.

I know you are in MD and not trying to be combative just stating my opinion. It's terrible what the state gov't has done or in most cases not done for horse racing in recent years.

[Laurierace]

Well truthfully if they sold the MD properties I doubt the Preakness would be part of the deal because most likely they would not be sold to be race tracks anymore. More likely condos and the like. I know Ed Hale already has complete blueprints drawn up for the project he envisions for Pimlico after they bulldoze it down. It was mainly condos with a strip mall or two thrown in for good measure.

[Thoroughbred]

Well truthfully if they sold the MD properties I doubt the Preakness would be part of the deal because most likely they would not be sold to be race tracks anymore. More likely condos and the like. I know Ed Hale already has complete blueprints drawn up for the project he envisions for Pimlico after they bulldoze it down. It was mainly condos with a strip mall or two thrown in for good measure.

That is the fate of Pimlico and the economy slowed that for sure but it will happen. Laurel Park would still function but don't see the Preakness being run there without a lot of work and money.

How do you feel about all that has happened with the slot bids?

[Laurierace]

I thought the bill was by far the worst in the industry. Combine that with the aggreement that Magna has to give DeFrancis a giant percentage of the slots proceeds for the first several years makes it more or less an non issue.

[Thoroughbred]

I thought the bill was by far the worst in the industry. Combine that with the aggreement that Magna has to give DeFrancis a giant percentage of the slots proceeds for the first several years makes it more or less an non issue.

I agree and the 67% tax rate hurt it from the beginning. I just don't get MD lawmakers and all the taxes, I lived there for many years and couldn't wait to move because of the tax issues. Ehrlich seemed to really care about the horse industry but wasn't allowed to do much about it by the state house which was a shame for MD but good for Delaware and WV.

BTW if Stronach tried to move the Preakness to say Gulfstream the MJC might try to take racing dates away from Laurel and such a fight could get really nasty.

[Laurierace]

Stronach owns the MJC so I don't see him getting into a fight with his own company. The racing commission could give him grief but that remains to be seen.

[st. louis kid]

Who would possibly want to live in a condo in the neighborhood Pimlico is in. Have only visited, but that area is a dump.

[Thoroughbred]

Stronach owns the MJC so I don't see him getting into a fight with his own company. The racing commission could give him grief but that remains to be seen.

That is what I get for trying to work and post at the same time. I mean the racing commission.

[Thoroughbred]

Who would possibly want to live in a condo in the neighborhood Pimlico is in. Have only visited, but that area is a dump.

and that is being nice

[Laurierace]

Did you ever go two blocks north? Multi million dollar homes all over the place it goes on for several miles.