Bill would end greyhound racing

The Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce has announced its support of legislation that would lead to ending greyhound racing at tracks in Council Bluffs and Dubuque, Iowa.

In a letter to Bo Guidry, general manager of Harrah's/Horseshoe Casinos and the Bluffs Run Greyhound Park, chamber officials expressed their support for the plan. But the letter, signed by Steve Baumert, the chamber's 2011-12 board chairman, and Chamber President/CEO Bob Mundt, noted that support could be withdrawn if the proposed legislation were amended in a way that "could have an adverse impact on the overall gaming industry."

"The (chamber) board also recognizes the potential for redevelopment of the track area and strongly encourages Harrah's/Horseshoe to redevelop the current track facility to create new jobs, new tax base and new commercial opportunities for Council Bluffs and southwest Iowa and to add to the growing developments in the southwest corridor in the Mid-America Complex."

A.J. Baker, government relations specialist for Caesars Entertainment, the parent company for Harrah's/Horseshoe, said 40 percent of the more than $13 million the two greyhound tracks pay to supplement purses at the tracks currently goes out of state.

Baker called greyhound racing a "dying industry." He said the dwindling interest in greyhound racing means there are relatively few jobs at the Bluffs Run track that would be lost if racing were to be discontinued.

Baker said that both track operators have agreed to absorb their track employees into other areas of the business.

In a January letter to Guidry, Jim Riskowski of Sigma Development in Omaha wrote: "The property at present is grossly underutilized when compared to its potential. The location and the advantage the Horseshoe and the MAC have to offer make the site a great opportunity for a connecting hotel and outlet mall that will provide outstanding mutual benefits to both entities as well as all the other existing businesses in the area."

Senate Study Bill 1064, which would allow ending greyhound racing in Council Bluffs and Dubuque, would require the two casinos to pay a "relicensing fee" to the state totaling $10 million a year for seven years. Under the proposal, Horseshoe would pay $7.5 million annually and Dubuque's Mystique Greyhound Track would pay $2.5 million a year.

"We're willing to pay the relicensing fee that the state could use to benefit many more Iowans," Baker said.

In addition, the proposed legislation calls for creation of an Iowa Greyhound Retirement Fund that would be controlled by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission and would be used to provide a "soft landing" for kennel operations, breeder farms, kennel owners and greyhound adoption agencies.

« Metro/Region

Share