Court Rules On Montreal Situation
Racetrack operator Attractions Hippiques scored a split-decision victory over horsemen today in Quebec Superior Court.
Judge Chantal Corriveau granted the company’s request for a “safeguard Order” extending the federal and provincial permits and licenses needed to continue receiving daily revenue from video-lottery terminals (VLTs) and bets on simulcast horse races at Hippodrome de Montréal and its teletheatres beyond the current expiry date
of Nov. 30.
By refusing this week to sign a new contract with the company, the horsemen assumed Attractions Hippiques would be forced to lose those revenue streams. Judge Corriveau ruled otherwise. She said the company had met its contractual obligation with a written advisory of its intention to renew sent to the horsemen’s association in October.
She did not, however, grant Attractions Hippiques the full 12-month extension it was seeking. It only holds until Attractions Hippiques (which has been in creditor protection since June) enacts a restructuring plan, or the court rules on three separate legal challenges centering on how its complied with terms of the contract originally signed when it took over Quebec’s four racetracks from the government in 2006. The cases will be heard together, likely in January.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)
As a regular Montreal
As a regular Montreal customer, I can say Attractions Hippiques failed on seeking new clientele. Week by week, we can notice the number of people going to the hippodrome decreases.
I understand that the horseracing business is in hiatus all around North America but, in my opinion, Quebec is even worse than anywhere else. Loto-Quebec is seeking on capitalizing the whole gambling business instead of helping an industry of over a century old.
In reply to As a regular Montreal by Anonymous (not verified)
All they wanted was the land
All they wanted was the land that the old Blue Bonnets race track is on, they estimated it to be worth billions if high rise condos would be built across the property.
All you local fans who thought this was going to be the great comeback for Quebec racing should have known better, after Campeau corp. went bust & lost the track & Quebec not the Horsemen Association took over it was only a matter of time.
Either in six weeks we will
Either in six weeks we will have a bonafide program in Quebec with AH or we will seek a new operator....Magna R U listening?
David Vs Goliath
David Vs Goliath