Although an agreement is in place that would see the looming crisis in the Illinois horse racing industry averted, the executive director of the state’s harness horsemen’s association is warning members not to “break out the champagne just yet.”
Tony Somone’s comments have come in an article by The Daily Journal which outlines the possible scenarios for the state industry going forward.
Somone said that the state’s General Assembly has only “suggested” that it will return in early December to deal with the matter, so there is a chance that it will not actually be broached.
“We need the General Assembly to call the ADW bill,” The Daily Journal has quoted Somone as saying. “The fact that we seem to have everyone in the industry on the same page is critical for this to happen. If they return, and if they call the bill, we will get ‘Scenario One’ of the IRB dates order, which is a full schedule of racing next year.”
Somone went on to caution that "if the legislators do not return in December, or if they do not call the ADW bill, then we will have to wait until January 29, their next scheduled day they'll reconvene, and see what happens."
(With files from The Daily Journal)
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