Hoss Talk

     Monday's news that Washington State's Muckleshoot Indian Tribe had anted up $70 million to acquire the land lease of
     Emerald Downs says much for its confidence in gaming at racetracks. 

     The acquisition should send warning bells to B.C. politicians. Unless they fairly address the slot machine situation (as every other province has found the conscience to do) at Fraser Downs and Hastings, B.C. taxpayers could be facing another economic travesty. 

     The Muckleshoot's purchase and the rapid pace that the Alberta and Ontario governments have been combining gaming and racing, strengthens the argument that horse racing and gaming together are an economic winner. 

     "Everywhere that gaming machines have gone in, the quality of racing has gone up, the number of owners and breeders  using the facility has gone up and the quality of the facility has gone up," said Pat Le Pley, chairman of the Washington State Horse Racing Commission, earlier this week. 

     "It's a huge plus. Washington is a state where the sport should really flourish." 

     During the last seven years, horse racing in this province has been flip-flopped by politicians more times than an Aunt Jemima pancake at a logging camp. 

     Now we have horse racing falling under the umbrella of the BC Lottery Corp., which leaves one to wonder if, somehow, this set-up isn't a possible conflict of interest. 

     Think about it. Here in B.C., racing fans are besieged with lottery booths selling everything from Keno to Sports Action at racetracks. 

     The BC Lottery Corp. also controls slot machines, which for years have directly competed with horse racing for the gaming dollar. 

     So why would they slice up the slot machine pie with an industry that employs thousands of workers who pay taxes, and generates hundreds of thousands dollars in economic spin-offs, when they can cut payroll through technology and still reap most of the profits? 

     The simple answer is greed. 

     Somehow, having the boss looking after the competition doesn't seem right. 

    twolski@shaw.ca
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Vancouver Province
E-mail Tommy Wolski at twolski@shaw.ca