The real horse trading that will decide Maryland racing’s fate is about to begin.
For five years, Maryland House leader Michael Busch opposed slots. If we’re going to be honest, it was the Democratic-controlled state house’s way of keeping Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich from gaining re-election. Once Gov. Martin O’Malley took over in January, he signaled fellow Democrats to give him one legislative session before restarting the slot debate.
And right on cue last week amid Preakness Stakes celebrations when lawmakers pretend to care about the sport, Busch said he was open to discussions. Given the state is staring down a projected $1.5 billion deficit next year, you bet Busch is willing to talk. Either state leaders find new revenues in a sluggish economy or they’ll have to raise taxes, which is never politically smart.
Slots are really just smoke and mirrors for the real chance of gaining hundreds of millions of dollars in new gaming revenues. Horse racing means nothing to politicians except a means to justify new gaming. Indeed, Busch has often admitted a preference for high tech industries over the nation’s oldest sport. If Microsoft wanted to relocate to Maryland to create 20,000 jobs currently performed by racing-related workers, Busch would stand on the border to welcome them. So would I, but not on the dead carcass of racing that has been in Maryland since 1743.
That said, it’s time to move forward before the Preakness is relocated to California and Maryland racing shuttered. There is still time to return to national-class status by installing slots at tracks that would be given a percentage of the spoils to compete with Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania that jumped over the Old Line State in recent years.
O’Malley has hinted of calling a special session this fall, which will only come if a deal is decided beforehand. Busch says he’s open to discussions. Translation — how is the money going to be divided?
Racing leaders have chased slots for more than a decade. The early plans were way too generous to track owners. Newer versions give more to education than racing. In the end, everyone gets paid.
Maryland Senate leader Mike Miller wants 15,000 slots over seven locations, including four racetracks, to generate $800 million in state revenues. Busch opposes the plan, saying twice as many machines would be needed to reach $800 million.
Really, what does it matter how many slot machines are permitted? The debate should be over having slots, not how many.
The good news is real negotiations have finally started.By fall, a deal should be struck and the cherries, lemons and limes devouring your quarters will probably come sometime next year. Maybe then Maryland racing can reverse a decade of decline. Otherwise, there won’t be many local Preaknesses left.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
