Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Harness Bill Clears First Hurdle

March 13, 2008

Efforts to bring more horse racing to the Illinois State Fairgrounds and more money into government coffers cleared its first hurdle Wednesday.

The House Gaming Committee approved a bill creating the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack Authority that would be charged with bringing harness racing to the fairgrounds — and the betting that goes with it — beyond the 10-day run of the state fair.

Revenue from the racing would go to making improvements at the fairgrounds and to pay for the operation of the city-county combined emergency dispatch system that costs about $3 million annually, with the city of Springfield paying about two-thirds of the cost.

“That would free up a lot of money for our general revenue,” said Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin, who testified in favor of the bill. “Unfortunately, government does not pay property taxes, which in turn is one of the reasons we are in the bind we are with our unfunded pension mandates. This is one way that we look at a payment in lieu of taxes.”

Neither Davlin nor Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, the bill’s sponsor, could estimate how much money would be generated by having more horse racing at the fairgrounds. Poe’s House Bill 4758 would create an authority that has two members appointed by Davlin, two by Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter, two representatives from the state Department of Agriculture and one appointed by the chairman of the Sangamon County Emergency Telephone System Board.

The authority’s job would be to find a contractor to stage harness racing at the fairgrounds for up to nine months of the year. It would be similar to what the state does now during the fair when Maywood Park handles betting during harness racing.