CURRENT PRESS
COGFA Press Conference (.MOV - Quicktime)
Horse Tracks Bet they Can Beat Casinos
FOX Chicago News
Everybody loves a longshot, but even by horse racing standards, the odds of this historic industry surviving in Illinois couldn't be much worse. > more
Slot Legislation Push On Again in Illinois
By Bob Kieckhefer of Bloodhorse.com
Illinois race tracks, in the closing days of the spring legislative session, again are pushing legislation that would allow them to add slot machines to boost revenue.
> more
Slots at Tracks Picking Up Steam
By Rich Miller of The Capital Fax Blog & Chicago Sun-Times
The Statehouse is buzzing yet again with talk of a new gaming plan. This time, the players say, they have their acts together. Really.
I'm always pretty skeptical of these big legislative pushes. Expanding gaming is one of the most difficult things to do. A big reason is that there's so much money involved with gaming that people get too greedy. Eventually, the bill suffocates under its own weight. Too many goodies are added to the Christmas tree.
> more
Take the Slow Lane on Casinos at Race Tracks
By Chicago Sun-Times
In the book Seabiscuit, trainer Tom Smith tells jockey Johnny "Red" Pollard that the best strategy is to hold back the great racehorse until the last leg of a race. > more
The Pitch from the Gambling Industry
By Off the Kuff of the Chicago Sun-Times
We know that the gambling industry, which never sleeps, has been busy preparing for the next legislative session. The Trib gives us an overview of their pitch, about which I'm sure you'll be hearing plenty more in the coming months. Most of this is familiar territory, so let me just zoom in on two points. One has to do with the numbers: > more
Lawmakers, Chambers Receptive to Slots at Tracks
By Timothy Magaw of the Daily Herald
SPRINGFIELD -- Arlington Heights trustees aren't keen on the idea of the state shoving a video casino down their throats even though some suburban lawmakers think video gambling at the local horse track is worth pursuing. > more
Slots at Race Tracks Proposed Again
By Timothy Magaw of the Daily Herald
SPRINGFIELD - Some lawmakers are looking to add slot machines to Arlington Park and other horse racing tracks across Illinois in hopes of shoring up financing for a fledgling $31 billion statewide construction plan.
> more
Track Office Counter Home Rule Fears Over Slots
By Deborah Donovan of the Daily Herald
The stakes for horse race tracks in Illinois are too high to worry about any concerns villages like Arlington Heights may have about losing local control, the president of Arlington Park said Monday.
> more
Push for Slots at Race Tracks On at the Capital Hill
By Ashley Badgley of Illinois Statehouse News
SPRINGFIELD — Could slots at the tracks help fill the state's budget gap?
Some lawmakers think placing slot machines at the state's five horse-racing tracks is a gamble worth taking, especially with the state facing a $12.2 billion budget deficit. > more
IL Gaming Rep. Will Burns Pushes Slots at Illinois Race Tracks
By the Illinois Observer
(Springfield, IL) — April 29, 2010 . Organized labor leaders and State Rep. Will Burns (D-Chicago) today gave a public push at a press conference in Springfield to legislation that would permit slot machines at the state's horse racing facilities.
The plan, House Bill 5975, would generate an estimated $100 million to $300 million annually that would be deposited into the state's Capital Project Fund to pay for planned school, road and bridge construction projects in the pipeline, according to Burns. > more
Slots at Horse Racetracks
By KMOX.com
ILLINOIS (IRN) -- A couple of state lawmakers, union representatives, and some members of the horse racing industry are announcing a deal on allowing slots at racetracks. But that deal is going only so far.
State Reps. Will Burns (D-Chicago) and Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) say they'll push for legislation to allow Northern Illinois racetracks to have up to 1,200 slot machines, and Downstate racetracks to have up to 900 slots. They claim the move would bring state government $300 million-$400 million that could be pumped into the state's capital plan for building and construction, which would help the state sell bonds for $1.7 billion. > more
IL Horse Racing Industry Renews Push for Slots at Tracks
By Kathleen Foody of Stltoday.com
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The horseracing industry, including Collinsville's Fairmount Park, is renewing efforts to allow gaming machines at Illinois horse tracks, offering the change as a stable funding source for a planned $31 billion capital construction package.
The state's casino industry says adding more gambling locations would take revenues away from their locations, giving the state a meager financial benefit at best. As we've reported before, the casinos have stopped prior attempts to allow slots at the tracks. > more
Allow Slots at Horse Tracks
Letters to the Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times
Illinois school and road construction projects authorized by the state's new capital construction law are at risk of stalling because multiple local governments are rejecting a primary source of funding: video gaming. Critically, the City of Chicago has yet to approve video gaming. > more
Slot Machines Considered for Arlington Park
By James Sears of WGN News
SPRINGFIELD - You may be able to gamble on more than just the horses at Arlington Park.
Some state lawmakers agreed on a deal to put as many as 2,000 video gambling machines at horse tracks across the state, including Arlington Park in northwest suburban Arlington Heights. > more
Proposal calls for slots at racetracks
By WGN News
SPRINGFIELD - A plan to install slot machines at horse-racing tracks across the state was unveiled today as part of a way to help pay for the state's far-reaching public works program, but the legislation is already coming under heavy fire. > more
Put Poker Machines at Race Tracks by Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun – Times Letters to the Editor
The number of communities opting out of the video poker plan rises every day. The near constant cry of towns who don't want mini-casinos in their communities should speak to lawmakers but instead falls on deaf ears. State Senate President John Cullerton pretends that everything will be fine, that the capital bill will survive.
> more
Where Are Our Video Poker Machines?
By Mike Porcaro of Midwest Thoroughbred
I just love betting on live thoroughbred horse racing, and I offer absolutely no apology to those who think ill of this practice. I bet horses at Arlington, Fairmount and Hawthorne. When I´m in Indiana, Iowa or Minnesota, I play tracks there. I´ve been to Del Mar, Hollywood and Santa Anita, Belmont and the Meadowlands, Woodbine, Keeneland, Gulfstream and Fairgrounds. I go to the Kentucky Derby every year and most years to the Breeders Cup. > more
Is Illinois Willing to Up the Ante on Gambling?
By the News-Gazette.com
Illinois officials soon will have to decide if they're going to allow expanded gambling or live with the reality of seeing Illinoisans cross state lines to spend their gambling money elsewhere. > more
Savior for the Capital Bill?
By Chasse Rehwinkel of ChicagoNow.com
You can now add Illinois state economic recovery to the long list of topics discussed by Chicagoans over a pint of beer at their local Irish pub. And while I can't take full credit for its addition, I can say that the issue has been at the back of my mind every time I've gone to a Chicago bar over the last few months. > more
Lawmakers Looking Gaming Gift Horse In the Mouth
By Tom Kacich of The News-Gazette.com
It was pretty much the proverbial gift horse. Here were the top honchos of the two biggest horse race tracks in Illinois, sitting before a panel of state legislators and virtually offering $100 million to $200 million to a state government that really, really needs the money.
> more
Track Slots Idea Needs Discussion
Daily Herald
There are certainly pros and cons to every suggestion of increased gambling in Illinois. And plenty of people to espouse those views.
> more
Race Industry Volunteers to Keep Gambling on Track
By Tom Kacich of The News Gazette.com
CHICAGO -- Illinois race tracks, contending there are political problems with video gambling in Illinois, say they want to "save the
capital bill" by installing slot machines at their tracks. > more
Race Tracks Make Case for Adding Gambling Machings
By Kevin McDermott of the herald-review.com
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois' horse racing tracks, including Fairmount Park at Collinsville, say they're ready to ride to the rescue for the state's flailing infrastructure plan. > more
Video Gaming at Race Tracks Would Save Capital Bill as More Communities Opt-Out
Horse Racing Industry Proposes "Common Sense" Revenue Solution for Ailing Plan to Create Jobs and Upgrade Schools, Roads, Bridges
(Chicago, IL -- Dec. 1, 2009) Revenue from the state’s nascent video gaming program is on track to produce significantly less revenue than projected as more and more communities optout of video gaming for liquor-licensed establishments. The infrastructure improvements, job creation and economic growth promised by a new capital construction plan will be severely compromised
unless lawmakers identify an alternative revenue source.
> more
Illinois horse tracks say they’ll ride to the rescue on state revenue
By Kevin McDermott of the Post-Dispatch Springfield Bureau
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Horseracing tracks across Illinois, including Fairmount Park at Collinsville, are offering to bolster state revenue for Illinois’ struggling infrastructure improvement plan by allowing gaming machines at the horse tracks. > more
Race Tracks Say They Could Use Sot Machines to Help Illinois Revenue
By Kevin McDermott of the St. Louis Dispatch
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois' horse racing tracks, including Fairmount Park at Collinsville, say they're ready to ride to the rescue for the state's flailing infrastructure plan. > more
Race industry volunteers to keep video gambling on track
By Tom Kacich of the Champaign News-Gazette
CHICAGO -- Illinois race tracks, contending there are political problems with video gambling in Illinois, say they want to "save the capital bill" by installing slot machines at their tracks. > more
Race Track Video Gambling Up to Lawmakers, Quinn Says
By Associated Press in Belleville News Democrat
CHICAGO -- Gov. Pat Quinn says the Illinois General Assembly should look at the idea of putting video gambling machines at race tracks, including Fairmount Park in Collinsville. > more
Race tracks make case for adding gambling machines
By Kevin McDermott — News Service of the Writer Decatur Herald and Review
SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois' horse racing tracks, including Fairmount Park at Collinsville, say they're ready to ride to the rescue for the state's flailing infrastructure plan. > more
Municipal Video Gambling Bans Don't Hurt Dollar Estimates
By Monique Garcia of the Chicago Tribune
Towns and counties throughout Illinois continue to ban legalized video gambling, but state officials said Tuesday that not enough of them have opted out to hurt estimates of how much the machines will fetch. > more
Racetrack owners make push for slot machines
By Joseph Ryan of the Daily Herald
Racetrack owners stepped up Tuesday with yet another push to bring slot machines to their parks, arguing they could rake in the cash that many suburbs are leaving on the table as they turn their noses up at legalized video gambling. > more
Racetracks Say Video Gaming Can Save State Capital Budget Amid Skepticism Over Motives
By Michael Beller of Medill News Reports
Racetrack operators in Illinois have a solution for what to do with all the video poker machines shunned by individual municipalities in the state. > more
Horse Track Owners Want Video Poker
By Paul Meincke of Abc7.com
December 1, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Dozens of local governments have rejected video poker-- raising concerns about Illinois's capital plan, which was supposed to be funded with the proceeds. > more
Illinois Tracks, Horsemen Unite to Preserve Slot Machine Rights
By Neil Milbert of the Thoroughbred Times
The five Illinois racetracks and the state´s Thoroughbred and harness horsemen are making a joint push to the legislature, trying to win permission to install video lottery terminals or slot machines to offset the anticipated loss of state tax revenue because at least 40 municipalities, towns, and counties have banned the machines. > more
Ill. Gov. Quinn: Let´s ‘take a look’ at slots at the tracks
By Kevin McDermott of the St. Louis Post Dispatch
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn a few minutes ago told reporters in Chicago that he thinks the state should "take a look" at a controversial proposal by the horse racing industry to have slot machines at the tracks as a means of helping pay for a huge new infrastructure program. > more
Ill. Gov. Candidate Hynes: Expand Gaming, But Not at Horse Tracks
By Kevin McDermott of the St. Louis Post Dispatch
ST LOUIS - Illinois Comptroller and governor candidate Dan Hynes today reiterated his stance that Illinois should expand gambling to help address the state´s budget crisis, by adding "two to three" new casinos in the state. > more
Illinois Tracks Make Another Push for Slots
By Bob Kieckhefer of Blood Horse.com
With the Illinois state budget in a shambles and a video gaming in bars and restaurants going nowhere as a solution, racetracks again are urging lawmakers to allow them to install slot machines. > more
Video Gaming at Race Tracks Would Save Capital Bill as More Communities Opt-Out
Horse Racing Industry Proposes "Common Sense" Revenue Solution for Ailing Plan to Create Jobs and Upgrade Schools,Roads, Bridges
(Chicago, IL – Dec. 1, 2009) Revenue from the state’s nascent video gaming program is on track
to produce significantly less revenue than projected as more and more communities optout of
video gaming for liquor-licensed establishments. The infrastructure improvements, job creation
and economic growth promised by a new capital construction plan will be severely compromised
unless lawmakers identify an alternative revenue source.
By permitting gaming machines at horse racing tracks—regulated, centralized gaming
destinations for the last 100 years—lawmakers have an opportunity not only to bolster the capital
plan with a substantial, stable source of revenue; they also would help ensure the
competitiveness of Illinois horseracing on the national circuit, drawing more business to the
state.
By allowing tracks to complement race wagering with gaming machines, lawmakers could conservatively raise between $100 and $200 million or more in recurring annual revenue for the state. Virtually, every other state in the country that has a horse racing industry allows video gaming. Those twelve states garner an average $216,000,000 in annual state and local taxes.
"This is no longer just a racing industry issue", said Greg Szymski, Executive Director of the
Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. Our industry wants to help create jobs in Illinois
and improve the state’s infrastructure. "This is about jobs and businesses closing because the
legislature won’t act to make our state competitive. Allowing additional gaming through slots at
the tracks will create the money needed for Illinois capital improvement projects."
Today, the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability will meet to examine possible alternative revenue sources to support the newly approved capital plan. Though lawmakers approved video gaming in taverns, restaurants and other small venues across the state as the primary means to support the capital plan, at least 23 municipalities and at least three counties have already banned video gaming, and dozens more are poised to do the same.
"Without a stable source of revenue, we simply will not realize the great promise of our new capital program – renewed public infrastructure, more jobs and statewide economic growth", said Roy Arnold, President and CEO of Arlington Park. "This plan would provide the revenue necessary to ensure that Illinois fully implements the capital plan, and that we get started on it right away."
When the Commission convenes to begin assessment of the projected budget shortfall, a unified Illinois horse industry will submit that the addition of gaming machines at tracks is the most sensible way to generate the dollars necessary to fill the hole left by a severely diminished video gaming program.
"We are ready, willing and able," said Tim Carey, 4th generation President and General Manager of Hawthorne Race Course. "There is a socially accepted national trend for video gaming at tracks and we can generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, while creating and saving tens of thousands of Illinois jobs. This is such a common sense solution, I challenge anyone to see the downside in this proposal."
Unlike other major forms of gaming, the strength of the horse racing industry ripples throughout the larger Illinois economy The $2 billion horse industry, which supports some 35,000 agribusiness jobs across this state, relies on racing to stay vibrant.
"The IHHA has seen horsemen leaving Illinois to race and breed horses in more competitive
states," said Dave McCaffrey, President of the Illinois Harness Horsemen Association. "At the
same time, we see communities opting-out of the video poker plan that is supposed to fund the
state capital bill. We can solve both of our problems by working together to make Illinois racing
competitive again while providing reliable revenue and secure jobs for the state."
Both Indiana and Iowa now allow video gaming at tracks, respectively generating $50 and $100 million dollars in tax revenue, while creating a combined 4,000 jobs. The plan advanced by the Illinois horse industry would support good paying jobs that are stable and year-round. And gaming machines at tracks is a fully accepted practice virtually everywhere that makes sense:
- • The state’s horse racing tracks are existing, established gaming venues that have managed pari-mutuel gaming for over a century.
- • Gaming activity at tracks is centralized and highly regulated. Visiting and patronizing a track is a full-fledged recreational experience. Patrons plan for the time they spend there.
- • 12 states across the nation now offer ‘racinos’
- • Half of all states with both casino gaming and race tracks now offer electronic gaming at tracks.
"Illinois is losing customers to border states’ racinos. We need to keep the money in Illinois," said Lanny Brooks, executive director of Illinois Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. "Whether you’re a horseplayer, or horse owner or have never been to the track, you should be concerned about keeping money and jobs in Illinois and this plan does just that."