The Breeders Cup this year is on Friday November 6th & 7th.
Our HBPA here in Michigan was notified Thursday Oct. 22
Also a link to MHHA also stated same message with the Urgency for action.
Because of the ORC LAYOFFS: The Michigan HBPA was notified that effective November 5, 2009, due to the Governor’s veto of the funding for the ORC, that all ORC will be laid-off. That will cease all racing activity to include live and simulcasting statewide.
The thing of it is, Governor Granholm dissolved the ORC. And put us under GAMING. MGCB
How can one Veto funds to an office that no longer exists? Reality is Horse Racing is now under the MGCB. That is where Granholm herself put us. And they are not out of funds. If we have to shut down then so should the Casino’s. Since we are all now one big happy family that Granholm merged us with.
And to now say we can’t fund Horse Racing with the Casino’s funds is preposterous. You put us right in there with the Casino’s the second you decided to dissolve The Office of Racing Commissioner and merge us with the Casino’s under Gaming.
We certainly didn’t ask you to Dissolve our Governing Body and create this disaster in the making. But it was your decision and solely your decision to do so. And with that decision in fact put us under the same entity as Casino’s. GAMING.
Does our great Governor Granholm even know what the Breeders Cup is? Does she know that thousands of people will go to the tracks to bet on these races.
Does she realize by naming the date of November 5th our shut down date, a day before the Breeder Cup races takes place. That no one in the State of Michigan will now be allowed to go to any track and bet on these races because of this idiotic action. Does she know that the Breeder’s Cup is as Prestigious as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness & Belmont?
Does she even care? Evidently not.
Either this Governor is totally dense with all of it’s Legislators, Representatives and Senators. Or this is the biggest conspiracy to completely shut down the entire Horse Racing Industry in this State for good. And it’s all upsetting and totally puzzling. The Revenue that these tracks bring in is phenomenal. Millions and Millions of Dollars. And it’s all about to be flushed straight down the toilet.
For a desperately money scrapped State, this notification comes as amazement that Michigan’s Governor Granholm, and both chambers of the House and State would allow this to happen. They are not only in essence cutting their own throats by Blasting we don’t need any extra money here in Michigan. They are helping to destroy over 20,000 jobs connected to the horse racing Industry. And I along with all my fellow horsemen are Appalled at this absolutely NO BRAIN DECISION.
And the fact that the date of November 5th was chosen, a day before some of the most Prestigious two days of racing takes place, makes anybody wonder what the actual intent is here. It makes no sense to anybody. Granholms decision to completely dissolve the ORC then put us under gaming was bad enough. But to now further grinding rock salt into the wound, gives out notice that the day chosen when all will be shut down. Both Live and Simulcasting is November 5th.
The day before the Breeders Cup races is to take place and it is outrageous. Like purposefully jabbing a dagger into the heart and soul of horse racing.
Immediately upon receiving the news the ORC was dissolved and we were now under the MGCB. I wrote the Mi. Gaming Control Board. After the announcement by Graholm, the next Scheduled board meeting of the MGCB was Oct. 13. It was as poignant and heartfelt as I could explain in an e-mail. But if given the chance I would of spoke to them directly in person. I felt it urgent, because this board up to now only had to deal with Casino’s. My thoughts were does anybody on the MGCB know anything about the importance of our Industry. Most importantly will they really care.
But this is the entire correspondence.
Now that our fate is in your hands.
MGCB Executive Director Richard Kalm
Chairman Damian Kassab
Judge Benjamin Friedman
Barbara Rom
Michael J. Watza
In the events that have taking place over the last week, and now knowing that the MGCB is now our Governing body that will make any decisions on our fate. And also knowing that Tuesday Oct. 13, 2009 is your next board meeting, that I personally felt the need to contact all of you on behalf of the Industry in which I’ve spent my life working in.
Thoroughbred Racing.
I can only ask that you read a blog that I posted on several sites last year, a day before Pinnacle Race Course was to open. The picture at the bottom of the blog was edited in the day after. It is from the heart. I don’t know that I can elaborate any more feelings on the importance of the subject matter. It’s pretty self explanatory. And I think from reading it, you will all gain all the insight you need to understand how I and my fellow horsemen/women feel about not only continuing Thoroughbred Horse Racing in this state. But to allow any further gaming to Pinnacle to not only help our track to continue to exist, but to bring in $ Millions of more dollars to the state of Michigan. I read in an article published by both the Detroit News & Free Press, that someone wants to spend $20k for a study to see if more gaming at the Tracks would bring in more revenue?
Please save the $20k and valuable time and just contact all the States who implemented gaming to their Horse Tracks. Get their years Revenue statements prior to Tracks getting gaming, slots, then the following year Revenue statement after gaming was given. It will speak for itself.
The Horse Racing industry is the only entity that has always made money for the state, not took from. And if allowed to continue it always will. And with further gaming including slots, this state will have a mighty powerhouse to bring in much more needed revenue to Michigan.The only thing that can be gained from it, is a WIN WIN position for all.
All of us will benefit. We got our throats cut in 1998 when an English corporation by the name of Ladbroke was allowed to destroy the only Thoroughbred track in the state. The Detroit Race Course was just more than a racing surface, buildings & barns. It was our livelihoods crashing to the ground by those bulldozers. Our jobs and souls thrown to the wind. We grasped on to a thin thread of straw hanging on at Great Lakes Down. We finally get somebody to put again in place a track that could be one of the most Prestigious Tracks in the country if allowed. Then a entire country financial disaster strikes. And our Governor cuts funding to our Industry already hanging on for dear life.
Please, I ask of you to look at us as very viable individuals within an Industry that we love and work hard at. And would be more than worthy to save. If seen hard enough you will realize that not only will the track, but the people involved can indeed bring more wealth to this State. Needless to say we were more than just a little nervous & concerned when the announcement was made that the ORC had been dissolved, and we would now be under your jurisdiction. In reality the Casino’s have been your only focus. We just want a fare shot, and to let all of you know and have you fully understand that our fate is now in your hands. The casino’s spent a lot of money to get Proposal 1 on the ballot. Had tables with 4,5 people at all times gathering signatures. But i cannot express how many of those people signed those petitions not even knowing what they were even signing. Most thought that it was to Expand gaming to the tracks, not Prevent them from obtaining it. So this is the disheartening part.
There is a saying, believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see. To me that is what that Proposal was about. Like I said I just hope we get a fair shot. Some feel with the decision to dissolve the ORC, it is in fact one hair shy of burying us for good. I ask from the bottom of our hearts, please take a good look at us. We are real. It is a business with as many connections as the auto industry has. From farms that supply the straw & hay to the businesses that supply everything within a horses needs. It’s thousands of people. And with your help, Pinnacle can be a bigger asset to this state than the casino’s. Just please don’t dismiss us without really seeing us, what we do and how we can continue to contribute to this state. We do bring in Revenue and will bring in even more with whatever you can also allow us to implement at the Horse Tracks. Please do not allow us once again to be bulldozed, because this time there will be no coming back. It will indeed be our final death. And I promise you we are so much more worthy than that.
Signed,
Most Sincere
Real Name
I thought reading both the e-mail & blog may give them some inclination of it's dire importance. Whether the e-mail at all was read by any of the MGCB is only a guess.
My way of thinking when hearing we were now under a board that has only dealt with Casino's. It was important to connect with them immediately. Obviously didn’t do much good.
This Mi. Governor unlike Ohio’s who is doing his best to not only save the horse racing industry there, but to also boost the States Revenue by Millions. Is in essence doing every single this she can to destroy Horse Racing. And further cut the State’s throat by axing what Racing brings in Revenue to the State of Michigan.
All one can wonder is what in the hell is this wrong with this woman. What is she thinking and how she came to this conclusion. Mostly what purpose does it really serve. Because I along with 19,999 others connected with horse racing certainly have no inclination to her decisions.
All we can hope for is Thousands here in Mi. contacting Everybody within our Government. Immediately
Contact your Reprsentative: http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp
Contact your Senator: http://senate.michigan.gov/SenatorInfo/find-your-senator.htm
As far as I’m concerned if Horse Tracks have to cease operations than so should the CASINO’S.
You put us under MGCB, therefore Casino’s are also under them. Don’t state because you yourself dissolved the Office of Racing Commissioner, that racing live and simulcasting must cease on Nov. 5th. Because in reality you Governor Granholm are contradicting your own orders.
Governor’s veto of the funding for the ORC, that all ORC will be laid-off. That will cease all racing activity to include live and simulcasting statewide.
But my dear Lady, we are no longer under the ORC, you put us under gaming. And they sure haven’t ran out of funds. The Casino’s will still Operate, and they are also under the MGCB. All of this is a contradiction of what you put us under. You can’t say racing has to cease because you Vetoed anything more to an office that you in fact dissolved. You put us under the MGCB. So they are not out of funding. If we go down, so should the Casino’s.
You said it your self Governor. Horse Racing is now under the MGCB. That means we should have plenty of funds.
UPDATE:
LANSING LOVES THE MOVIES: It was recently reported the movie industry tax break of 42% produced an economic impact for the state of $120 million. Jobs?
Michigan’s horse racing receives a -0- tax break , yet produces $400 million in economic impact for the state and 12,000 jobs.
Result: Governor’s veto kill’s horse racing!
THE VETO NEEDS TO BE WITHDRAWN, NOW!
10/25
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GOVERNOR TURNS DOWN MILLIONS: THE GOVERNOR’S ACTION TO
VETO THE LINE ITEM FUNDING THE ORC AND RACING ACTIVITY IS A NET LOSS TO THE STATE. ORC ANNUAL BUDGET IS 2.5 MILLION, INCOME FROM SIMULCASTING PRODUCES THREE TIMES THAT MUCH ANNUALLY. LOSS TO THE STATE IN EXCESS OF 4 MILLION DOLLARS.
HOW DOES THE GOVERNOR EXPECT “HORSE RACING TO HELP HORSE RACING” BASED ON HER ACTIONS? AS WE ALL KNOW, “ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS”.
ILLINOIS GOVERNOR RECENTLY APPROVED INTERNET WAGERING ON HORSE RACING
IF SOMEONE CAN MAKE SENSE OF THE VETO, PLEASE LET THE REST OF US KNOW!
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As I said in this Blog, so has OHIO’S GOVERNOR in backing of the Horse Racing Industry in his State.
FACE IT, WE LIVE IN A STATE WITH A
GOVERNMENT THAT IS AGAINST ITSELF. THEY ARE INSANE.
IT’S TIME TO CONTACT ALL METRO/ DETROIT MEDIA & ENTIRE STATE’S MEDIA. MAYBE THEY CAN GET AN INTELLIGENT ANSWER TO ALL THIS MADNESS FROM OUR GOVERNOR.
NOW I”M GOING TO CONTACT WXYZ, WDIV, WJBK, DETROIT NEWS, DETROIT FREE PRESS. Of why nothing has been said on this issue. And why also nothing has been said on our November 5th Shut Down Date. GET ON THE NEWS WIRES PEOPLE!
wxyzdesk@wxyz.com
newstips@detnews.com
http://www.clickondetroit.com/contact/index.html Click ON: News Tips
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/subindex/about_us/contact_us Click ON: News Tips
http://www.freep.com/section/contact Click ON: News Tips
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