How many of the individuals who signed the Casino’s petition really knew what it was really all about?
Once on the ballot how much of the residents who voted on it really understood the only Industry it would hurt.
The Proposal as it was stated: And read the last paragraph good.
The proposed constitutional amendment:
Requires voter approval of any form of gambling authorized by law after January 1, 2004.
Requires voter approval of any new state lottery games utilizing “table games” or “player operated mechanical or electronic devices” introduced after January 1, 2004.
Provides that when voter approval is required, both statewide voter approval and voter approval in the city or township where gambling will take place must be obtained.
Specifies that the voter approval requirement does not apply to Indian tribal gaming or gambling in up to three casinos located in the City of Detroit.
End
Now does not apply to Indian tribal gaming or gambling in up to three casinos located in the City of Detroit.
And what needed a public vote again?
Since this proposal passed in 2004, Charity Gaming increased by 75%. Poker/Texas Holdem’Rooms licenses were handed out everywhere. Bars, Bowling Alley’s, Strip Joints, Churches, Bingo Halls and other venues.
Most just down the streets, roads and next to neighborhoods of people who opposed any type of gambling at all and they sure didn’t need anybody’s vote as to whether these venues could have them.
That been said and it being a 100% fact who alone did this passed proposal really affect & hurt. Just one I know of, Horse Racing Tracks. The very first gambling establishment ever signed into law in 1933.
It was the Horse Racing Industry that the petition was drawn up by the Casino’s to stop. And that it did, to a screeching halt.
Horse Racing was here in Michigan 39 years before the Lottery (1972) was implemented, 55 years before the first tribunal casino’s (1988) and 63 years before the three Detroit Casino’s (1996).
And it was Horse Racing alone that generated $Billions of dollars for the State through all of this time.
At one time had directly and indirectly 42,000 jobs connected to this Industry and for Agriculture, now sadly down to about or under 12,000.
It wasn’t bad enough that all of a sudden the Detroit Casino’s became God to the State. They decided to cut the throats further of the State’s first money generator, so much so in 1999 Governor Granholm decided to dissolve The Office Of Racing Commissioner and then take the industry to where it had been under Agriculture and place it under a 4 member board that only oversaw the Casino’s. The Michigan Gaming Control Board.
And what great thing did they do for now some entity they never wanted or cared about in the first place, slash their racing dates. Who took the biggest hit, Thoroughbred Racing.
Without the ORC we were stripped of any representation at all in Michigan and within the Michigan Gaming Control Board itself.
They allotted 84 racing days in 09′ & 10’then slashed the dates from 84 to 3.
3 days that’s all, the MIHBPA Horsemen & women had to buy back the dates with their own money. You can click onto the Horse Racing Tab and read all those blogs and details.
Let’s get down to real business. On the The American Gaming Association (AGA) site I found something very interesting in the Statistical notes.
It should be noted that, in many cases, effective tax
rates are higher at racetrack casino facilities where
gaming machines are operated by the state lottery,
as opposed to the more traditional regulatory
structure in which gaming licensees are the owners
and operators of the machines. In the case of the
former, the gaming machines are called video
lottery terminals (VLTs), and the lottery commission
takes in all revenues before making distributions
to stakeholders such as track owners, breeders and
others. States that operate in this manner include
Delaware, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island
and West Virginia. Because of this important
difference in the regulatory structure in these
states, the survey details the percentage of revenue
retained by operators as opposed to state gaming
tax rate. The percentage of revenues retained by
operators should in no way be interpreted as profit
margin. These are revenues earned before paying
other non-gaming taxes, employee salaries as well
as a host of other operating expenses.
“are operated by the state lottery”
Funny because just two years after Horse Racing’s ORC was dissolved, in 2011 Kathie Oviedo was named Deputy Commissioner of Charitable Gaming by Lottery Commissioner M. Scott Bowen.
Again no public vote by the States citizens is needed when the Lottery adds more and more games, nor is a vote necessary when Charity licenses are handed out like candy. Though recently Richard Kalm has cracked down on how many charity gaming licenses can be now given because of the Detroit Casino’s crying it’s cutting into their business.
Well the truth is it not Charity anything cutting down Detroit Casino’s, what has is when our neighbor Ohio opened their Casino and gave their Horse Racing Tracks Racinos.
The buses no longer needed to travel here 3 times a day from there since they got their own. And exactly how much money is actually generated from Racinos. The Data from the AGA site (Pg. 3) (not including Ohio since they were only implemented in 2014.
1. Philadelphia, Pa. $835.33 million
2. New York City, N.Y. $672.57 million
3. Yonkers, N.Y. $544.70 million
4. Charles Town, W.V. $536.99 million
5. Providence, R.I. $477.83 million
6. Indianapolis, Ind. $445.40 million
7. Dade County, Fla. $427.89 million
8. Dover/Harrington, Del. $297.57 million
9. Meadow Lands, Pa. $284.38 million
10. Grantville, Pa. $282.60 million
These numbers just don’t lie people. The are from RACINOS ALONE.
Michigan and Governor Snyder proclaims additional tax $$$ is needed for disintegrating roads, needed for this needed for that. Just look at the above numbers and the money generated by the Racetracks that have been allowed VLT’s.
Indiana and now Ohio below us, it is not only a damn shame but a crime to what has been done to horse racing here.
Where our neighbors have chosen to support their horse racing industry’s and the jobs associated with them, Michigan stupidly sits on the side line crying broke and trying to protect three Detroit Casino’s that are now losing money because of Ohio.
In Nov. of 2012 both the House and the Senate passed HB5466 for Instant Racing. House by a vote of 91-16, Senate at the end of a marathon session in mid-December by a margin of 24-11.
On Jan. 11, 2013 Gov. Snyder killed the bill by pocket veto.
The supposed reason: it was likely unconstitutional and “It would have authorized a form of gambling without a statewide and local vote, which is required by the constitution” because of Proposal 1 that was passed in 2004.
Even though Instant Racing is just a band-aid for an Industry that’s bleeding out, do you know how much money that alone has brought into KY?
Instant Racing has best month ever in Kentucky. Sept. 3, 2014.
Excerpt: The $30.44 million wagered at Kentucky Downs beat the previous record of $29.4 million in March for the Franklin track that implemented the game in September 2011. It was a 12.98 percent jump over the previous August.
And Gov. Snyder cries no money for roads let’s raise taxes to generate $$$.
Imbecile.
I’m fed up.
As a T.B. Groom I worked 7 days a week and when I say 7 days a week I mean 7 days a week along with a 1,000 stable area workers. There were no days off in this job.
Owners, Trainers, Grooms, Farriers, Vets, Hot walkers, night watchmen/women, Tack Shops, Farms, Hay & Straw, Grain & Feed stores…who am I leaving out?
In all how many jobs come out of the three Detroit Casino’s?
We were here first but have been kicked to the curb as if unworthy garbage. No the Race Tracks have dwindled and why? Big Casino money who had unknowing individuals signing petitions really not understanding that it was to not expand gaming to the tracks which many thought, but it was to Prevent the Race Tracks from ever again getting a fair playing field.
Well it is time to stop all this madness and put a Referendum on the ballot in the near future to overturn this atrocity and to give and get simple plain common sense into play once again. To bring in the kind of money that Racinos alone generate for their States and no taxes need to be raised for crumbling infrastructures. God knows all the schools are broke, wasn’t the Lottery suppose to prevent that.
Where is all this money going?
All I know is that Horse Racing Alone once upon a time held up the State of Michigan with the money they generated. Do the 10,000+ jobs that could once again be 42,000 jobs if the days of 160 racing dates came back that The Detroit Race Course once had, then the Harness Dates included, are these jobs not worth it.
The additional $$$ that Racinos would bring in not worth it?
1. Philadelphia, Pa. $835.33 million
2. New York City, N.Y. $672.57 million
3. Yonkers, N.Y. $544.70 million
4. Charles Town, W.V. $536.99 million
5. Providence, R.I. $477.83 million
6. Indianapolis, Ind. $445.40 million
7. Dade County, Fla. $427.89 million
8. Dover/Harrington, Del. $297.57 million
9. Meadow Lands, Pa. $284.38 million
10. Grantville, Pa. $282.60 million
Did you really know what you were signing and voting on Michigan Residents?
Well, it is not only my opinion along with much of the public I’ve spoke with but of those in the House & Senate of Michigan that would welcome this Referendum.
So another Petition will be started shortly.
Hopefully with enough signatures to be delivered to the SOS – Board of State Canvassers – State of Michigan.
LOOKING FOR NEW PETITION SITE – WILL POST SHORTLY.
I do encourage comments on the petition of those that were a part of this industry but left Mi. because of the 2004 casino proposal that passed. But reality is that the (SOS) Board of Canvassers – State. of Mi. will only allow & acknowledge Mi. registered voters.
It is time to reverse this dire and costly mistake. Not only will it save an Industry of hard working individuals who work 7 days a week, it will bring more then enough money to pay for what needs to be done here.
But I do believe that the Casino’s should be allowed Horse Racing Simulcasting Betting Rooms.
After all wasn’t this Democracy based on Free Enterprise.
3 Commercial Casinos must not be allowed be stop other businesses growth, especially a business and Industry that was here 65 years before them.
And RE-Instate our Office of Racing Commissioner.
If you believe in it, you must fight for it.
Horse Racing deserves it’s dignity they earned a long time ago.
Contact your Legislators.
REP. http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/
SEN. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/default.html
Who knows what it could be once again.
Let The Tradition Continue.
Longshot's Blog 
Hello, I was just reading through some of your posts and photos of Detroit Race Course and am working on a magazine article about the history of the track. I was hoping to find out where you go some of those old photos so I could work on getting permission and high resolution versions to use in the article. Thanks
Sent you an email Dennis. Detroit Race Course (subject)