On Wednesday night, Essex County council voted to support the Lakeshore Raceway project and will help the track's battle for funding left in limbo by the closure of Windsor Raceway.
According to Dr. Paul Branton, one of central figures behind the Leamington-area track proposal, there is somewhere between $4 million to $7 million in purse money available.
"These funds are not tax dollars, government loans or grants. They aren't stealing dollars from healthcare. It's cash that's in deposit with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming commission," said Branton. "If it doesn't get used here it's going to move on to another community."
"This is a no-brainer," said Lakeshore Deputy Mayor Al Fazio. "This is our money."
The track also received the backing of Leamington Mayor John Paterson.
"Since Day 1, I think the majority of people have jumped on board right off the bat," said Paterson according to CBC. "Some have learned more about their own municipality and finding about how many horse people work, live and play in their areas and how valuable they really are."
I am sorry but I would have
I am sorry but I would have to agree that the money from Windsor shouldnt go to build another track....We need to look after the ones we have and will be left with.I am not young anymore but I grew up at Dresden raceway and I loved going there as a kid and anyone my age that went there I am sure would say the same.I remember families going through the backstretch looking at horses just being close to the hub of where it all starts on a raceday or night. No one crabbed about kids running around as most knew to have respect for the horses and the people that looked after them and parents were cautious about where their kids were and what they were doing. There was none of having this license to be here and another to be there and so on and so forth because it was a family atmosphere even though it was gambling.I can see some strictness for the paddock area but horse owners dont want to just sit in the stands and watch.If you allow them access to the barns without paying the ridiculous license fees then they would invite their friends and so on and so forth as they have the freedom for up close and personal. Myself...if I wasnt in the game and able to touch and be around the horses..I wouldnt go to the tracks either. I am not a gambler and dont bet but if a family goes for the day I would bet that some wagers would be laid down for fun but a return visit would happen as well. This without the government is do able!!!! It was for years and can be again it just has to be put back into family mode and family focused.It wouldnt be easy and it would be rough times for a while but we didnt get to the situation we are in over night either.Small town tracks are the wheel of a community and almost everyone in that small town has been to the track as kids, gone as teenagers, taken their kids as well or even worked there.Big city tracks are for gamblers basically and small town tracks like Dresden and even Sarnia are for families.This has to be put into perspective if this sport is ever to survive on its own which is what it will have to do.
Transparency is lacking even
Transparency is lacking even in the horse industry, your efforts are commendable trying to put a racetrack proposal on the table for the Essex area. If the money that was moved from Dresden & Woodstock was insignifigant then there was no need to send it into the Windsor Purse Pool which ORC did do. That money was also money earned from slots percentages from those facilities. These are facts from history of the transfer but you talk about transparency when it has been talked about using money in the early going to fix up the Leamington facility and also open a similcast parlour to build future purse pools. All good but it was openly stated that Windsor has 7 million in funds that the Mark Williams group feels belongs to them to get this project off the ground. This is very interesting that you don't feel supporting Sarnia or Dreden is worthwhile but entering into a 3-5 yr dream is, It will take much more than 7 million to get this off the ground but put that 7 million into Dresden under the same non-profit operation and maybe you can expand that to a 5/8 track in the future. Look into the fact that Winrak has a very short term remaining there and work a non profit deal with the Agricultural Society there and the distance is way under the 2 hrs from Windsor.
In reply to Transparency is lacking even by RocknHorse Stables
OK before you get all mad
OK before you get all mad about money going to leamington over Dresden let's look at some facts, Windsor raceway has the racing contract of Dresden raceway and Woodstock. In a economic way leamington is more accessible to get to from the highway then Dresden. And has much has been talked helping out Sarnia was talked and even suggested but we were turned down on giving some more race dates at both Dresden and Sarnia.
At least they are trying to
At least they are trying to help themselves, not crying about it.If the horseman would stick together maybe it could have been resolved by now.Don,t begrudge the windsor horsemen a chance at a living too.
While I agree that revenue
While I agree that revenue from live wagering has been on the decrease for many years largely in my opinion due to a lack of marketing and innovation, the proposed racetrack is a fantastic idea and there seems to be many people who would rather give up without even trying. The SAR program in Ontario was a brilliant idea which was clearly recognized in the US, and a program that should continue. The Liberal government has clearly shown that they had hidden agenda's, not to mention allowing Paul Godfrey to sway them with another round of his unsuccessful endeavors. I certainly hope that those involved with the Lakeshore Raceway proposal see it through to the end, and wish you the very best.
Paul Godfrey. That's a good
Paul Godfrey. That's a good topic. When is the Premier going to address
his conflict of interest?
I just want to say thank you
I just want to say thank you to Pam Loomis for clarifying what we are actually trying to accomplish and where the money is coming from. Anyone that has a negative opinion towards Lakeshore Horse Raceway Group should do research before making such comment's. Thank you to everyone that has supported us so far in our fight, and we hope to see everyone at the next council meeting. Hopefully it is shorter then yesterday's was :)....
Windsor bet $300,000 while
Windsor bet $300,000 while Dresden bet $10,000. You tell me where the money came from
Part of the problem
Part of the problem highlighted in the Drummond Report was the lack of transparency from the track owners and their unwillingness to use part of their slots revenue for capital improvements and promotions as the conditions of their having a licensed race meet required. They were supposed to spend part of THEIR money on renovations. As is evident from Dresden,Woodstock, and Windsor, Winrak had no intention of doing that. Western Fair built a hockey arena and agriplex instead of enclosing the grandstand where you have winter racing. The stranded money belonged to the horsepeople who raced at Windsor and Sarnia,OHHA members who voted to use the money to build this track. Are people really going to begrudge them for that? We have no place to race less than 2 hrs away, no 5/8 mile or larger track til you get to Mohawk or Georgian.When we get it done, you people will all be wanting to race there, and welcome.Thank you to all the people working so hard on this.
just a question didnt all
just a question didnt all that purse money come from woodstock and dresden raceway
New racetrack hmmm it is a
New racetrack hmmm it is a nice thought but highly unlikely. That is an after thought now after all these people lost their jobs and horses were sent and are still being sent to slaughter. When it comes to the OLG match up with horsemen long ago it was a deal with the devil.The old saying is "its better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path".Even the right hand man will eventually be in the path when money is involved.One can always hope for the best but I won't hold my breathe or I am afraid much like this sport...I don't have a prayer.
Jack, how can this money be
Jack, how can this money be used for purses when there is no racing ? This just shows even moreso that the government is determined to kill off the competiton. They would be backing this 100% if they weren't. Kathleen Wynne is talking about creating jobs in the agricultural sector so this is a perfect opportunity to do so but you know as well as I do this is just political rhetoric because Paul Godfrey will not allow it.Tom this money will probably be used as transition funding instead of purse money so really we will be funding ourselves, but it would be great if this were to be added to the purses on top of the transition funding, but even that is short sighted as far as saving the industry is concerned. This money was earned by Windsor horsemen and they should be able to control how it is spent,myself I would use it to sue OLG and I am probably not alone so therefore we will never see this money in the hands of the horsemen.
Great to see Mayors of this
Great to see Mayors of this area support this while they have been told of the possibility of these funds but in reality funds were moved from Dresden & Woodstock purse accounts to Windsor so common sense would say it should be returned. If you are going to be in this game today you should not look to build a new facility when you can't say how an existing facility (Dresden) is going to be viable - just saying Dresden has everything you plan on putting into this new track and is less than an hour from Windsor.
I think they are dreaming in
I think they are dreaming in technicolour if they think that stranded purse money can used for what anything but what it's intended for, purse money.
If that was the case, every track would be asking for its share to renovate, it's not going to happen.
In reply to I think they are dreaming in by Time to Rebuild
Right on the money Mr
Right on the money Mr Saunders. There should be no way that the stranded money be turned over to this group to fund the creation of a new track. This is purse pool money and if anything should be divided amongst existing tracks in Ontario.
Congratulations Essex....You
Congratulations Essex....You mentioned that these funds are in Deposit with the OLG and that is wonderful. Is the OLG going to hand it over or will they find some loop hole to NOT HAND IT OVER. We all know how the OLG operates.
Can a new racetrack be viable
Can a new racetrack be viable without slots?
Can it be sustainable on mutual handle alone?