Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Fairmount Pushes for Slots

May 9, 2007

Fairmount Park leaders touted a plan Monday to create up to 300 new jobs, put roughly $20 million into state and local coffers, bring back the region's horseracing and save the struggling track. The only hitch: The state must approve the addition of 900 slot machines to foot the bill.

The plan, outlined at a news conference, calls for adding horse races, building a large amphitheater — and even starting a charity for at-risk youths. But the announcement was clearly targeted at drumming up support for changing the state's gambling laws to allow slot machines at racetracks.

"If we stand by and do nothing, places like Fairmount racetrack won't be in existence much longer," said state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville.

The idea of using slot machines to boost Illinois' flagging horse racing industry is not new. Several state plans to change gambling laws — from building a new casino in Chicago to boosting the number of slots at boats around the state — have included measures to help out racetracks.

But many gambling proposals in the Legislature have fallen flat. Supporters hope that this time, the state's budget crunch and the need to find new ways to pay for schools, roads and health care may be enough to coax support from even reluctant legislators.

Fairmount Park estimates the state would receive $17 million in gaming taxes each year and a $22.5 million one-time fee for the new slots.

"I believe that this year, more than any, there's a thirst for revenue," Hoffman said. "There are deficits inherent in the budget. These additional taxes could be part of the mix."

Fairmount executives say the $45 million renovation also would be a boon for the community. Fairmount, though struggling, is already one of the largest employers in the Collinsville area with about 750 employees.

Officials have presented the plan as a treasure chest for the region.

It promises to increase the number of thoroughbred racing days from 90 to 120 and bring back harness racing, which ended in 1999. Also, the St. Louis Derby would make its return.

Average daily purses would jump from about $55,000 to $140,000.

Construction of the amphitheater would give the track a 20,000-seat venue for concerts, boxing matches or even bullfights, officials said. Set inside the oval track, it would be the largest in the Metro East area and rival the capacity of the Scottrade Center.

All of those changes would pump about $2.8 million in taxes into the coffers of Madison County, Collinsville, Fairmont City, State Park, Caseyville and Maryville.

"That is huge," said Paul Mann, Collinsville community development director. "It's a facility that from what I know is struggling, but this will be a huge boost to it as well as Collinsville and the community."

Hoffman and Fairmount Park President Brian Zander both acknowledged the hurdles they face in getting the Legislature to approve such a venture. Slots at Fairmount would likely open the door to the machines at the other five tracks in the state, and a significant number of legislators will simply oppose anything that concerns gambling, Hoffman said.

Zander attempted to make the case that slots at Fairmount would be different than more slots at one of the area's casinos.

Fairmount would commit profits into increased purses and additional employees. And the owner, Bill Stiritz, also has pledged put up to 20 percent of profits into a yet-to-be-named charity, on top of an initial $10 million of his own.

"Essentially what is left over after taxes in a casino is profit that goes to the owners," Zander said. "Our plan is quite different. What is left over goes to support the agri-business and the industry and the community."

Whether that concept will sell in Springfield remains up in the air, especially with the Legislature trying to wrap up before summer. Any plan for allowing slots at Fairmount would likely need to include measures to satisfy the rest of the gambling industry.

"Frequently what happens with the gambling bills is they sink under their own weight," said Patricia Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville. "They get so big that almost everyone starts to view them as a true expansion of gambling.

Still, Watson, a powerful downstate voice that would aid Hoffman's cause, remains open to discussing the Fairmount plan, Schuh said.

But then she added: "It's May in Springfield. Anything is up for grabs, and I don't think anything can be assumed."