Thursday, March 15, 2007

Officials of two Northern Panhandle racetracks are betting local voters will
support the addition of table gambling to their facilities. Ohio County
officials are working with Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center to
hold a special election that could take place as early as June 20 - the
Mountain State's birthday - while Mountaineer Racetrack & Gaming Resort is
aiming for a vote in Hancock County sometime after June 9. Both facilities
have been bracing for anticipated customer losses that are expected when
61,000 slot machines come online in neighboring Pennsylvania. According to
Robert Marshall, president and general manager at the Wheeling Island
facility, an exact date for the elections cannot be set until Gov. Joe
Manchin signs legislation approved by lawmakers last week that would allow
table games to be offered at the state's four racetracks. The legislation
states table gambling must be approved by voters in the four counties where
the tracks are located before the games can be put in place. "We are just
waiting on the final bill, but preparations for the potential passage of a
local referendum are under way," said Marshall. "We have started the process
and are working to expand our facility to accommodate the table games." Job
creation and benefits to local businesses will dominate the racetracks'
election campaigns, and the tracks will wage their campaigns by word of
mouth and advertising. But the West Virginia Council of Churches will be
involved in the battle, too, arguing that people should vote against the
measures on moral and economic grounds. "Yes, the jobs card will be played
hard," said the Rev. Dennis Sparks, president of the council. "But in the 20
years since gambling came to West Virginia, West Virginia has continued to
decline economically, not keep up with the rest of the country. This is
creating a false economy." And although Marshall said he has in no way ruled
out any predictable challenges, he is adamant that the addition of table
gambling would only benefit the state's economic status. He also said an
additional hotel is in the future for Wheeling Island, which, in turn, would
provide jobs for several Ohio Valley residents. The West Virginia Family
Foundation has said it will sue to block the referendum votes; Sparks said
his organization has not decided whether to join that case. However, the
council will try to rally gambling opponents who may have felt powerless to
stop the legislation in Charleston. Barring a court injunction, track owners
have two choices: They can have the question placed on a 2008 primary or
general election ballot or seek a special election this year at their own
expense. Election costs range from $30,000 to $250,000, according to clerks
in the host counties. In addition to the creation of hundreds of jobs,
Marshall also believes table games would draw more conventioneers and form
partnerships with area businesses. Table game players, for example, might
want to golf at Oglebay Resort and Conference Center. And an accession of
employees could benefit the housing market. Ted Arneault, president of
Mountaineer, said table gambling could add 500 jobs in Chester and
jump-start plans for indoor parking, a shopping mall, a golf course and
housing. Mountaineer, owned by MTR Gaming Group Inc., also is promising a
new synthetic track that would be easier on horses and require less
maintenance. The table gambling bill allocates money for schools and in-home
care for senior citizens, as well as funds for breeders and horsemen. West
Virginia's racetracks are located in Ohio, Hancock, Kanawha and Jefferson
counties. Because Jefferson and Kanawha counties have stronger economies
than those of the Northern Panhandle, table gambling at the Tri-State
Racetrack and Gaming Center in Nitro and at the Charles Town Races & Slots
could face stronger opposition if placed on the local ballot.