Panelists for the Thoroughbred Summit include Greg Avioli, who handles legislative affairs for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association; Dick Hancock, executive vice president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association; Jim McAlpine, president of Magna Entertainment Corp.; Andy Skehan, chief operating officer of Churchill Downs Inc.; and Tim Smith, president of Friends of New York Racing.The convention will include a "Gaming 101" session at which legislators will be updated on gaming public policy, and a session called "Poker: When to Hold and When to Fold," which will deal with the recent surge in popularity of the card game.About 150 people are expected to attend the event. NCLGS was founded in 1995 to ensure "sensible and proper legislation and regulation" of the gaming industry as it relates to public policy.
The winter convention of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States will feature a "Thoroughbred Summit" at which speakers will discuss the changing forces impacting the pari-mutuel industry.NCLGS will hold the meeting Jan. 14-16 in Duck Key, Fla. The group of legislators holds conventions twice a year."The NCLGS winter meeting will provide state legislators and other attendees unprecedented access to top authorities on casinos, pari-mutuels, lotteries, Internet gaming, Indian gaming, charitable gaming, and problem and compulsive gambling," said Florida Sen. Steven Geller, president of the organization.