Kansas Group Says Slot Machines Lousy Idea for Race Tracks
by Chad Groening
March 16, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A group of concerned Kansans is urging the State Legislature to reject a bill that would authorize the state to own and operate about 7,000 slot machines at privately owned horse and dog race tracks. Senate Bill 587 passed out of committee on Tuesday (March 14), and is now in the debate phase by the full Senate. The group Stand Up for Kansas opposes the slot machines being permitted at parimutuel race tracks. Glenn O. Thompson, executive director for the Wichita-based group, says this is a fight the group has been waging since 1993.
"It's basically the same fight that we've done every year to oppose the race tracks from putting in slot machines," Thompson shares. "There's just a tremendous amount of greed out there for slot machines at the tracks."
According to Thompson, the state's race tracks support SB 587 because they need a way to replace their falling revenues from horse and dog racing. "When it was first put in, back in 1990 as I recall, the revenue was over $200 million -- and now it's just about $20 million," he says. "So it's a dying industry ...."
The Stand Up for Kansas spokesman is convinced the slots will not increase falling revenues for the tracks. His observation is based on more than his personal opinion. "Slot machines at the tracks would not help the racing," Thompson says. "There's been some studies done that show that in other race tracks [where slot machines have been installed] there is no what the economists call 'crossover.'"
Basically, he says, that means when people play the slot machines at the tracks, they do not gamble at the race track. "So it's just a subsidy for the race tracks, is what this bill is all about," he states. "[It's] what I call a bill to resuscitate a dying industry."
Thompson says the State of Kansas should not be in the casino business -- so he is hopeful the Legislature will once again reject slot machines.
Chad Groening, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
