On December 7, 2009, the BC Horse Racing Industry Management Committee met for the first time

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The honourable Rich Coleman, the minister responsible for gaming, attended the start of the meeting and challenged the committee to work quickly to bring some immediate financial stability to the industry and pose some longer term solutions in support of the 7,000 people who work directly or indirectly in the business.

This committee is a critical part of efforts to stabilize and revitalize BC's horse racing industry and the partnership formed between government and the industry to seek solutions to the serious challenges faced by the industry.

The committee will provide strategic direction and business leadership to the horse racing industry in BC. Horse racing operators, associations, breeders and owners will continue to make operational decisions consistent with their responsibilities, but will do so within the broad business and fiscal framework established by the committee.

The committee recognizes the difficulties facing the industry, the urgency of the situation and the need to work together to achieve solutions as quickly as possible. It also recognizes that difficult decisions and compromise, in the best interest of the overall industry, will be required.

The priorities of the committee include:

• Implementing the new industry financial model, including the allocation of all anticipated revenue for the period beginning April 1, 2010 and the replacement of the current complicated array of agreements with a small number of more strategic agreements;
• Expanding public awareness, involvement and, most importantly, attendance through improved marketing;
• Evaluating and improving the effectiveness of existing industry programs and activities; and
• Proposing longer term solutions to systemic industry problems.

To ensure issues, ideas and proposals are effectively managed, communications and submissions to the committee should only be submitted through Chris Curtis, as the special assistant to the Committee.

In the immediate future, Chris will be approaching the key industry organizations to document their formal endorsement of the new approach.

(BC Horse Racing Industry Management Committee)