Still Waiting …
Massachusetts racetracks gambled big this fall, combining legislation legalizing slots with an uncontroversial simulcasting bill that had to pass for the state’s tracks to continue simulcasting past December 31. Despite a veto-proof approval by the Senate in October, the legislative session ended in mid-November without a House vote, which effectively killed slots for the year (if not for the foreseeable future) and provoked the specter of the tracks laying off workers and closing for at least a couple of weeks at the start of 2006 until a bill reauthorizing simulcasting could be passed. There remained one hope: That the bill would pass during the informal session going on now.
On Sunday afternoon, House speaker Sal DiMasi said that he might bring the simulcasting bill to the floor on Monday, although he hadn’t made up his mind about allowing a vote on a bill that expanded simulcasting (one idea floated recently in lieu of approving slots) or any other gaming. House dean David Flynn said he’d oppose such an action, which is enough to prevent a vote in informal session, in favor of pushing for unlimited simulcasting rights and a commitment for a House debate on slots in March. That the simulcasting bill wasn’t brought up on Monday or today could mean he followed through on the threat.
Flynn is a supporter of the tracks, yet I wonder if he’s not misguided in his opposition to DiMasi’s proposal. Expanding simulcasting would help the tracks, relying as much as they do on simulcasting handle to survive, but the loss of a couple weeks revenue is only going to hurt, especially if that expansion isn’t approved — which isn’t an entirely impossible outcome. (And there’s also the matter that without slots or a dramatic surge in the number of track patrons, the state’s tracks are pretty much doomed, anyway. All that’s being argued over really is how long they’ll be allowed to linger before dying.) Two and a half weeks remain before the tracks are forced to go completely dark. I’m hoping, for the sake of track employees and next year’s purse account, that state lawmakers can figure out how to pass a bill that allows simulcasting before that deadline arrives.
12/15 Addition: A meeting of the state’s racetrack operators on Wednesday ended with Raynham dog track owner George Carney storming out after the other executives made clear they were interested in a rollover of existing law. “Carney said he will stick to his guns — and is even prepared to watch simulcasting expire on Dec. 31.”
