Dick Day, lobbyist in the effort to bring more expanded gaming to Running Aces Harness Park, has spoken out regarding the recently-announced pact between Canterbury Park and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which runs a nearby native casino.
The deal would see the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contribute tens of millions of dollars to the Minnesota thoroughbred raceway, which, in turn, would enhance the purse structure at the nearby track.
Day, a former Senator, has claimed that, "Mdewakanton has controlled the state now for 15 years," according to a report by MPR News. He went on to say that, "Now they're buying off some of the competition."
He also rhetorically asked what benefit the pact would have for the state.
"In this deal, how do Minnesotans come out? I guess they have a horse racing track that'll have better horses, and that's good. But basically you still have the monopoly that's in place that probably just got stronger."
The report explains that the deal still has to be approved by the state's horse-racing commission, and that Running Aces may be able to make a similar deal with officials from a native casino in its vicinity.
(With files from MPR News)
Related Stories