Horse-racing enthusiast: State should aid industry
Posted: Nov. 6, 2010
By MIKE BRUDENELL
Free Press Sports Writer
Horse breeder and owner Gary Tinkle has called for Lansing to give thoroughbred and other horse racing a fair shake in the state.
Pinnacle had offered year-round simulcasting but cut back to five days a week in October because of fiscal challenges.
“The industry is facing what appears to be the systematic dismantling of the horse-racing industry by the state’s action and inaction to allow our racetracks statewide to compete fairly for the gaming dollar,” Tinkle said.
Tinkle, who breeds and trains horses on his farm in Howell, says the state should do more for the racing industry, and that Pinnacle — which opened in July 2008 — and other tracks such as Hazel Park Raceway face an uncertain future.
This year, the Gaming Control Board, which oversees the sport, reduced live racing at Pinnacle from four to two days a week — Saturday and Sunday. It resulted in 42 days of live racing, down from 88 in 2009.
Although the state has allotted Pinnacle 84 days of live racing in 2011 — from May 27 to Oct. 29 — Tinkle still is concerned about the track’s future and the industry as a whole.
“Lansing seems to have a protectionist policy with some forms of gaming in Michigan,” Tinkle said Thursday. “The two days of live racing this year at Pinnacle has devastated horsemen. It is gut-wrenching to see it.
“Just let us compete fairly with the casinos with other forms of instant betting.”
Rick Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, said he is doing what he can to get Lansing’s attention.
“There are a lot of moving parts to this,” he said. “We are not in a position to appropriate funds to Pinnacle or other tracks. We are here to listen and work with the horse-racing industry where we can and report to Lansing.”
Kalm said a 2004 initiative to limit the expansion of gambling in Michigan has made it hard for tracks to compete with casinos and tribal gambling.
“Less people are going to tracks and less people are wagering at tracks,” Kalm said. “The state funds racing through the Equine Fund, which gets its money through tax on simulcast operations. When simulcasting is down, so is available money to add racing dates.”
Pinnacle hopes to restart its simulcast operation in the spring.
Tinkle said horsemen and others connected with the industry will make their voices heard in Lansing as the new government forms.
“Some of our initiatives have fallen on deaf ears in the past,” Tinkle said. “But we are going to pursue it with the Legislature. Our lifeblood is linked to Lansing.”
End
Rick Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, said he is doing what he can to get Lansing’s attention.
“There are a lot of moving parts to this,” he said. “We are not in a position to appropriate funds to Pinnacle or other tracks. We are here to listen and work with the horse-racing industry where we can and report to Lansing.”
Kalm said a 2004 initiative to limit the expansion of gambling in Michigan has made it hard for tracks to compete with casinos and tribal gambling.
“Less people are going to tracks and less people are wagering at tracks,” Kalm said. “The state funds racing through the Equine Fund, which gets its money through tax on simulcast operations. When simulcasting is down, so is available money to add racing dates.”
Richard Kalm is a liar. His words were pretty self explanatory and his focus was crystal clear in the Detroit Free Press Friday Article: New casino opening catches many off guard.
He made sure he mentioned what he feels about Pinnacle and Horse Racing.
“This has not been the traditional way for approval, and they have a legal theory they are leaning on,” said Rick Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. If the theory that a casino can be opened without the normal approval process holds up, “the impact would be huge. There are so many groups vying to expand casino gaming.”
Adding,
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians recently purchased land near Pinnacle Race Course in Huron Township in western Wayne County. Gaming facilities there or in Port Huron would compete directly for local customers with Detroit’s three casinos which count on exclusivity to fuel their business.
“The Detroit casinos are an important source of revenue for the City of Detroit “.
I was born and raised in Detroit. And Downtown and the Riverfront is still my favorite spot during the summer. But why should their business infringe or have any more importance than anybody else’s business to move forward? Because in essence this is what Kalm stated in those words he spoke. Detroit’s three casinos which count on exclusivity to fuel their business. “The Detroit casinos are an important source of revenue for the City of Detroit “.
” Exclusivity ” is the key word here.
Again one more time from Richard Kalm’s Page on the MGCB site.
My overall vision for gaming regulation in Michigan is quite simple, to maintain and insure the integrity of Casino Gaming and Horse Racing.
My goal is to strive to be the finest gaming control operation in the US, which will assure the people of the State of Michigan that the commercial casino industry and horse racing is honest and fair. I am committed to protecting this source of revenue for the State of Michigan and maintaining the highest integrity of gaming throughout this State.
Honest & Fair my ass. His own words said it all. He’s worried about Detroit’s three Casino’s Exclusivity.
And there is no place in this State’s Picture for Horse Racing.
And this idiotic statement “The state funds racing through the Equine Fund, which gets its money through tax on simulcast operations.
Another Liz Boyd. Again deceiving people into believing with their twisted words. That the State Subsidizes Horse Racing. The STATE FUNDS?
The State FUNDS NOTHING. The sentence: The state funds racing through the Equine Fund, which gets its money through tax on simulcast operations Means.
HORSE RACING GENERATES SIMULCAST TAX. And thus far Simulcast revenue produced from 3.5 tax for current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Current bal. Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010 is
$6,028,969.00
But The Horsemen’s Benevolent Protective Association ( HBPA ) The HORSEMEN/WOMEN could not touch a dime of this money. They funded the entire 2010 Meet completely with their own money through their purses which all haven’t been paid out yet.
So Richard Kalm is a Liar like Liz Boyd.
Rick Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, said he is doing what he can to get Lansing’s attention.
Who is anybody kidding here? Governor Granholm is over all this mess. She dissolved the ORC and put Horse Racing under GAMING. In my opinion and many others to KILL OFF HORSE RACING for good and she is succeeding.
Maybe it’s time to really do some research to see who is donating what to whom. And Why?
Under Politicians and Elections Tab. There is a Donor Look Up at very bottom. Let’s start adding some names and companies here.
Gary Tinkle was just kinder in his description. “Lansing seems to have a protectionist policy with some forms of gaming in Michigan.
I call it what it is, being Bought Off. And the hell with The MGCB pretending he is doing what he can to get Lansing’s attention. He could care less about Horse Racing. And jamming both of his own feet into his mouth stated so.
All I know is Rick Snyder the Geek -Non Politician that said jobs, jobs, jobs. Well here’s 12,000+ of them. We’re not new but we paid into the economics of Michigan now for 77 years.
Adding slots and other forms of gaming can do nothing but bring in more money for Michigan and allowing the Thoroughbred Horse Racing Industry the courtesy to not only continue but thrive like they’ve done in so many other States that gladly helped them. Enough is Enough.
This doesn’t make any sense. One City should not just be the ones to benefit at all costs. The three Detroit Casino’s do not employ 12,000+ people. But Horse Racing does.
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