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Wednesday, February 11, 2004
MAINE VOICES: Carolyn GIlman and Richard Bennett
Racing: It's horses, not gambling
Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||
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Let's make one thing clear: There is no necessary relationship between slot machines and harness racing. Take the words of the corporation working to build the new gaming market: "We are in racing for one reason - slots at racetracks," said one official from Penn National. Unfortunately for Maine people, that was not the theme of the campaign voters were subjected to this past fall when Question 3 slipped by the voters. Instead we were fed a steady diet of feel-good stories intended to distract voters from the real objective: the introduction of big-time gambling to Maine. THE MONEY involved is staggering. Why else would someone spend millions of dollars to "help" the harness racing industry and a few months later walk away from the deal, handing it over to his competitor for more than 10 times his original investment? All before a single quarter has been dropped in a slot machine. You can be sure this is not about horses. It's not about preserving open space. Nor is it a part of some noble cause to protect Maine's agricultural fairs. It's about market share and cash. The gambling industry thrives on a parasitic relationship with the local economy - taking dollars away from Maine people, Maine communities and the Maine economy - and whisking those dollars away to far-off corporate executives with no concern for Maine. The facts are worth repeating: Once the gaming interests enter a state, there is a tremendous increase in credit card fraud, drug and alcohol abuse, gambling addiction, broken families and many other forms of corruption. As for the increased revenues, don't bet on it. In most states, tax reductions have been promised, but in Nevada, Mississippi and especially California - the state with the most profitable operations in the world - the tax reductions have never materialized. Anecdotal evidence suggests that once a casino or racino gets into a state, it isn't long before there are many more. This has been true across the country. Presently, California has 49 casinos with 33 more poised to open. YOU CAN BE sure that before long the horses and the tracks will be viewed as a nuisance to the gambling industry. Costly horseracing will be replaced by more slot machines, and race tracks bulldozed to make room for an even larger gambling venue. But it's not too late. There are other options for our harness racing industry. During recent months we have heard plenty of creative alternatives from Maine people. We need to find ways to bring horses and horse-related activities into viable businesses. Many families in Maine would jump at the chance to introduce their children to the wonderful world of horses. Consider: Scarborough Downs has 500 choice acres of real estate directly off the turnpike. Why have they not considered tapping more into the tourist trade? Why not offer an area where children can visit horses and feed them, as families do all the time at the Race Me Stables in Westbrook? Harness racing began in Maine; why not play off that theme? How about a quaint village, a replica of "Old Scarborough" or an early town in Western Maine complete with blacksmith shops, serving only Maine made crafts, foods and products, selling equipment to the owners, trainers and breeders. A working farm could be developed, celebrating the horse's historical importance. Similar tourist attractions have been created in Sturbridge, Mass., and Mystic, Conn., and at the Norlands Farm here in Maine. Let's connect horses to community services such as the Big 20 Bowling Alley has done to promote sports with school-age kids. The new Pineland development by the Libra Foundation offers opportunities and examples with its horse programs. It is time for those in harness racing to ask why they love the sport. We suspect it has less to do with gambling and more to do with the agrarian heritage of Maine, of athletic animals and skilled horsemanship. That is a legacy worth saving. We should not sell that heritage to out-of-state corporations and big-time gambling interests and pretend we are protecting it. - Special to the Press Herald
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