What Would Charlie Do?
On the eve of his induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and days before the anticipated report from the OMAFRA panel, Charles Juravinski gives his take on the slots-at-racetracks situation on this edition of Trot Radio.
What 82-year-old Charles Juravinski built in horse racing as the founder of Flamboro Downs has transformed into a tremendous legacy for the people of Hamilton. Since he sold Flamboro Downs to Magna Entertainment in 2002 for $72 million (the track is now owned by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation), Charles and his wife Margaret have donated $53 million to Hamilton Health Sciences — including a recent gift of $10 million to a new mental health facility called the Margaret and Charles Juravinski Centre for Integrated Healthcare.
Juravinski is humbled by the honour of his Builder category induction and offered up his own report to the Ontario panel assigned with shaping the future of Ontario horse racing.
"I did appear before the committee - that's Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Snobelen and Mr. Wilkinson - and I'll give you the thrust that I gave them...I suggested to the committee that the industry should give half of [the slot revenue] back. In other words, give the government something like $175 million back and operate on half that. And I can tell you from previous experience having been in the business, I would be more than pleased to operate for that half-full glass than an empty glass and I know that I'd be able to pay my bills and so forth."
Juravinski also feels that the government should set up different site-holder agreements with different tracks since a one-size-fits-all model can't apply to Ontario's track operators.
"What I suggested is four different types of site-holder's agreements, total transparency and audited financial statements on a yearly basis. Try it on for size for five years and let the total industry sort itself out."
To listen to the full Trot Radio interview with Juravinski and Norm Borg, click the play button below.
Episode 272 – Charles Juravinski
Audio Format: MP3 audio
Host: Norm Borg
Unfortunately, I seriously
Unfortunately, I seriously doubt this panel or this Government will listen to anything Mr. Juravinski may have to offer. After all, why would you listen to someone who grew a "B" track into a thriving money making industry attracting hundreds of horses, and horsemen not only from Ontario but the Maritime's as well.
Even if they listened to Mr. Juravinski, they would have to hire him to run the business, because to date, there is certainly no evidence to indicate even one of the three stooges (Godfrey, Duncan & McGuinty) would know how to run a Profitable Business, not above board anyway, (e.g. O-RANG; E-Health, OLG "stolen/cashing lottery tickets"). They will go down in history as the 3 who drove Ontario into a deep deficit, then killed horse racing and rural Ontario as well. Nice legacy eh!!
I certainly hope the Ontario Ombudsman finishes his fact-finding soon, and gets a new investigation into the OLG, Godfrey and Duncan in the works! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to smell the stench here.
I truly pray that the people of rural Ontario will not be foolish enough to fall for this same old, tune the Liberal MPP's are singing again now, to sway the voters pre-election. REMEMBER THE LAST ELECTION, Promises made to win the vote, were soon forgotten and scrapped after they won the last election. A ZEBRA DOESN'T CHANGE HIS STRIPES!!!