News from

John Amodeo and Vince Polistina

New Jersey General Assembly, District 2

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Contact:  John Amodeo or Vince Polistina at 609-677-8266

July 9, 2009    

 

HORSE RACING INDUSTRY NEEDS TO LOOK INWARD FOR SOLUTIONS

 

NORTHFIELD – Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vince Polistina said today that the Governor’s Commission on the Horse Racing Industry should stop sniffing around the casino industry for a solution and spend the rest of its time looking into the horse racing industry itself for answers.  

“First, we are ready to help the horse racing industry, but not that expense of the casino industry,”  said Amodeo.  “However, we don’t think the commission is looking in the right area for solutions.” 

“Horse racing advocates too quickly blame Atlantic City for the decline in their industry, which is completely unjustified,”  said Polistina.  “The other alternate forms of gaming in this state don’t seem to be adversely affected by the casino industry.”

The assemblymen noted that gross ticket sales for the New Jersey Lottery has risen by 53% over a ten year period and there are over 12,000 charitable organizations registered to conduct games of chance in New Jersey. 

“The casinos have not stopped people from playing Pick 6 and hosting bingo games,”  said Polistina.  “In fact, to propose VLTs is to acknowledging that horse racing itself, as it is currently operating, cannot attract its own gaming dollars.”

“The competition for the consumer dollar is tough, particularly in this economy.  But the commission should be looking for a root cause within the horse racing industry.  Is it a marketing issue?  Is it an amenities issue?”  said Amodeo. 

“Horse racing should and can be a substantive contributor to our state’s economy,”  said Polistina.  “Atlantic City Race Course, for example, only enhances our region’s tourism market, just like Lucy the Elephant or Absecon Lighthouse.  But the horse racing industry will never be able to stand on its own by installing VLTs at its courses or relying on casino purse subsidies.”

 

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