Hialeah to Expand; Hopes to Add Thoroughbreds
Hialeah Park has announced a major expansion of its casino and indicated it will continue to work toward holding a Thoroughbred meet.
Racetrack Gaming
News, Articles, Videos and other content about Racetrack Gaming
Approval of Florida Dates Deal Seems Imminent
A report that Calder Casino & Race Course is preparing to close its poker room could be an indication that Calder and South Florida neighbor Gulfstream Park will soon receive state approval for their deal on racing dates.
Centaur Gets IHRC Approval to Refinance
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission June 26 granted approval to Centaur, which owns the two racetracks in the state, to proceed with refinancing that won't impact slots revenue that goes to purses and breed programs.
PA Audit: Ag Department Misused Racing Funds
The Pennsylvania racing fund, which pays for regulation of horse racing in the state, has been misused by the state Department of Agriculture and is close to bankruptcy, according to a state audit released June 18.
Iowa Casinos Can Terminate Greyhound Racing
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad May 31 signed into law a bill that will allow casinos to buy out dog racing, but there could be legislation in 2015 to hammer out simulcast revenue splits for Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.
Horsemen OK With Mountaineer Dates Reduction
The horsemen's group at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort has signed off on a plan to reduce racing days and the number of races at the West Virginia track later this year.
Iowa Groups Fighting Over Simulcast Revenue
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said he is unsure whether he will sign legislation that would allow casinos to buy out Greyhound racing because of an objection raised by horse interests over full-card simulcasts.
Funds Intact, But WV Prepares for Change
The West Virginia legislature ended a short special session May 21 and apparently left more than $14 million in gaming revenue to purses and breed development programs for horse and dog racing intact for fiscal year 2015.
Penn REIT Has Agreement to Buy The Meadows
Gaming and Leisure Properties, a real estate investment trust spinoff of Penn National Gaming Inc., said May 14 it has an agreement to purchase The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in western Pennsylvania for $465 million.
HBPA Weighs In on Gulfstream-Calder Plan
The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association said May 9 it has given Gulfstream Park recommendations regarding a Gulfstream plan for ending head-to-head weekend racing with neighboring Calder.
Belterra Begins New Chapter for Ohio Racing
Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center, the former River Downs, began its first race meet May 8 with official ceremonies and about 3,000 racing fans on hand on a summer-like afternoon.
NH House Votes Against Casino Legislation
The New Hampshire House of Representatives said no dice to casino gambling again May 7, handing supporters their third defeat in two months and dashing hopes that live Thoroughbred racing might return to Rockingham Park.
LA Lawmakers Blast CDI But Defer Bill Action
An official with Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots assured Louisiana lawmakers May 6 that owner Churchill Downs Inc. will make the improvements required under a conditional license it received from state racing commission.
Louisiana Grants One-Year License to CDI
The Louisiana State Racing Commission April 29 granted a one-year conditional license to Churchill Downs Inc. for Fair Grounds. The company must provide a list of improvements to be made in the next 60 days.
Cloud Hanging Over Suffolk as Meet Nears
As Suffolk Downs prepares to open its 2014 meet May 3, a heavy cloud of uncertainty about the future of live racing hangs over the sole surviving Thoroughbred racetrack in New England.
CDI: Next Gaming Push in KY Likely for 2016
Churchill Downs Inc., which spent $600,000 in the first quarter of this year on another failed bid for casino gambling in Kentucky, believes the next opportunity to makes its case will come in 2016.
Louisiana Puts More Pressure on Fair Grounds
The Louisiana State Racing Commission has scheduled a special meeting for May 1 to consider the license Churchill Downs Inc. holds to operate Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and a ring of OTB parlors with video poker.
Report: Slots-Fueled Purses in PA Down 6.5%
Total purses generated by slot machines in Pennsylvania in 2013 dropped 6.57% from the previous year according to a benchmark report released April 9 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
OH Breeders Told to Upgrade Mares, Stallions
Ohio Thoroughbred breeders were told April 5 that supporting stallions based in the state should be a big part of the equation in the new environment of racetrack gaming.
Two Ohio Tracks to Get 10.5% of VLT Revenue
Two Ohio racetracks will pay 10.5% of video lottery terminal revenue to purses, an official with the state's racing and breeding programs said April 5.
New Ohio Track Granted 2014 Racing Permit
Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course received a racing permit from the Ohio State Racing Commission March 27 and plans to offer 21 days of Thoroughbred racing this fall.
Prairie Meadows Opposes Proposed Casino
Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino is opposing a proposed casino in Jefferson, Iowa, that it estimates would reduce its gaming revenue by nearly $13 million.
WV Racing, Breeding Take 10% Revenue Hit
The West Virginia Legislature March 14 passed a fiscal year 2014-15 budget that will redirect 10% of racing's share of gaming revenue to other programs.
Ohio Tracks, Horsemen Sign 10-Year Deals
The Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has signed 10-year racing agreements with the under-construction Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and ThistleDown Racino, formerly known as Thistledown.
Indiana Downs Has New Name as Part of Rebrand
Indiana Downs, which will begin its lengthy live Thoroughbred racing season May 6, has a new name to coincide with its casino offerings.
KEEP Opposes Open-Ended Gambling Measure
A proposed constitutional amendment that would give the Kentucky General Assembly the power to authorize any and all forms of gambling has met with opposition from the Kentucky Equine Education Project.
Mountaineer Opens Meet With Steady Purses
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort will kick off its 210-day season March 1 with average daily overnight purses of about $115,000, a figure on par with 2013.
PNGI, Horsemen Have Agreement on Ohio Track
Penn National Gaming Inc. and the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have reached an agreement in regard to the under-construction Youngstown-area racetrack that will replace Beulah Park.
Hastings Has Three-Year Live Racing Deal
A multi-party agreement has paved the way for a three-year funding model for Hastings Racecourse in British Columbia, Canada, officials said Feb. 17. The 2014 Thoroughbred meet is expected to begin in late April or early May.
Kentucky Casino Legislation Stalls Again
A proposed ballot measure to let Kentucky voters decide whether to legalize casino gambling hasn't garnered enough support yet to gain state Senate passage, a key Republican legislator said Feb. 10.
Report Reflects Competition Faced by Delaware
Total on-site pari-mutuel wagering at Delaware Park in 2013 totaled $149.2 million, down 4.1% from $155.5 million in 2012, according to the annual report released Feb. 6 by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.
PNGI Remains Bullish on Casino Properties
- By Tom LaMarra
Penn National Gaming Inc. officials said Feb. 6 they don't believe a roughly $100 million decline in net revenue is associated with customers opting for other forms of gambling or entertainment.
Racing, Others Oppose VLT Revenue Shift in WV
Racing stakeholders and government officials Feb. 4 publicly stated their opposition to legislation that would shift 15% of video lottery and table games revenue to fund other programs in West Virginia.
Pennsylvania Bill Would Gut Horse Racing Fund
A Pennsylvania lawmaker's proposal to gut the Race Horse Development Fund supported by revenue from slot machines generated a strong response from the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition.
VLT Purse Percentages? Take Your Pick in Ohio
It appears rather than having one percentage for the amount of revenue that goes to purses from video lottery terminals, Ohio could have a different number for each of its seven racetracks.
Ohio Panel, PNGI Clash Again Over Track Plan
Construction of a new racetrack gaming facility in the Mahoning Valley is well under way, but the track's owner and the Ohio State Racing Commission continued a battle over a commitment on the number of stalls Jan. 23.
Sponsors Tout Aspects of Kentucky Casino Bill
Casinos at five racetracks in Kentucky would generate about $86 million a year for the horse industry, a sponsor of expanded gambling legislation told the House Licensing and Occupations Committee Jan. 15.
Suffolk Outlines Position on Live Racing
Suffolk Downs said Jan. 9 it is committed to live racing should its new partner, Mohegan Sun, win the license to build a casino on track property.
Beshear Makes Push for Casino Referendum
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear Jan. 7 again said the state needs sources of new revenue, one of which is casino gambling.
Indiana Slots Deal Paves Way for Refinancing
Centaur Gaming and horse racing industry stakeholders have won approval for a long-term gaming revenue distribution agreement that will allow the company to refinance in 2014.
Deal Keeps Suffolk Downs Casino Hopes Alive
Mohegan Sun and Revere, Mass., said Dec. 23 they have reached a host community agreement that would guarantee the city between $25 million and $30 million in revenue per year from a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs.
Interest Growing in Ohio Breeding Programs
Ohio breeding programs grew in 2013 and are expected to continue that trend in 2014, according to Ohio State Racing Commission statistics.
OH Panel to New Track: No Tellers, No Permit
The Ohio State Racing Commission Dec. 19 postponed granting a new racetrack gaming facility a 2014 racing permit because its owners have decided not to have pari-mutuel clerks for live or simulcast racing.
Hialeah May Push for Thoroughbred License
Hialeah Park has begun its fifth consecutive Quarter Horse racing season and is preparing for a year in which it might have its biggest chance yet to regain a Thoroughbred racing license.
Partners to Build Racetrack Casino in Calgary
A new facility featuring Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing is expected to open in 2014 near Calgary, Alberta, the partners in the project announced Dec. 4.
NYRA Budget for 2014 Calls for Hike in Fees
The New York Racing Association is finalizing a "fresh look" budget for 2014 that will hike fees imposed on simulcast partners and raise prices for racetrack admission and parking while cutting a number of expenses.
IHRC Examining Allegations Involving Trust
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission is looking into allegations regarding expenditure of funds from the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association Benefit Trust.
Suffolk Downs Has Deal With Mohegan Sun
Suffolk Downs remained in the running for a casino license with the Nov. 27 announcement it has reached an agreement with Mohegan Sun, which operates gaming facilities in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Drazin: New Jersey Racing is 'Here to Stay'
Though New Jersey Thoroughbred racing has a long way to go from a financial perspective, some racetrack operators and horsemen's representatives appear bullish on the future.
Clock Ticks on VLT Revenue Deals in Ohio
Time is running out for Ohio racetracks and horsemen's groups to agree on the percentage of video lottery terminal revenue that will go to purses and breed development programs.
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