Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 04:00:00 PM EDT
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Just another reason why the industry is struggling: New Jersey's horse racing and casino gambling industries still have a long way to go in developing a collaborative strategy to meet the competitive challenges emerging in neighboring states.
Representatives of the longtime rival industries couldn't even agree on what to discuss Wednesday at a meeting of a new commission charged with saving the state's four horse racing tracks.
Track officials wanted to talk about "racinos," the electronic betting parlors that have been introduced at 36 racetracks in 15 states since 1995. However, Joseph Fusco, a spokesman for the Casino Association of New Jersey, spoke for 20 minutes at the meeting without even mentioning the word. Traditionally, we haven't had racinos because they were trying to protect Atlantic City and the casinos. But with additional states moving in the gaming direction, the horse racing tracks industry feel they're losing time and money not having them:"It's not horse racing versus casinos," state Sen. Jennifer Beck of Red Bank reminded members at Wednesday's meeting of the Governor's Commission on the Horse Racing Industry. "It's New Jersey versus Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New York." The racing industry doesn't seem to see it that way and says the casinos should fix their own problems and stay out of their business. I understand they have competing interests in some areas, but taking no action while states continue to move forward around them helps no one. And why still no word on the movement to overturn the sports gambling ban if they're looking for additional revenue? Instead, they continue to fight amongst themselves. |
| Jason Springer :: They can't even agree on what to talk about at meetings |
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