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Bryan Leonard
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Vernon Croy
Vernon Croy is one of the most reputable sports Handicappers in the World and he has been very consistent at making his Clients money throughout his prestigious career in all Major and Minor sports.
Doc's Sports
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Eyes On Maine by the Gaming Todays Stan Bergstein
As we get set for another round of 365, things are still too cloudy for a safe landing.
New York racing is trying to recover from the $700 million hit it took with the closing of Off-Track Betting. Those who bet it would never happen are out selling apples. Its 50 betting shops are gone.
In another big losing bet, those who said the Meadowlands would never close are starting to choke up. It was saved by the New York real estate magnate and harness horse breeder and track owner Jeff Gural, at least until April 1, with a $1 lease arrangement. Gural can raise the buck, but he will need several million more to operate.
New Jersey’s Billy Goat Gruff, governor Chris Christie, is letting loose of a million and a half to help, but if Gural and the harness horse community, strong in New Jersey, doesn’t come up with a permanent lease the sport’s biggest track will shut down on April 1, and the horsemen recipients of Christie’s largesse will have to repay the million and a half from simulcasting revenues.
In western Pennsylvania, odds now are 50-50 that the new harness track and racino that has dangled in the wind for five years while Centaur of Indianapolis scrambled for dough to build it will be built, by the American Harness Tracks group that won the auction for the racing license. They are getting the dough from a Chicago gaming company, Merit Management Group, but still have to get a license from the Gaming Control board in Pennsylvania, which Centaur couldn’t do in five years of trying.
Frank Stronach played swaps, giving up control of MI Development for his beloved tracks, including Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, 50 percent interest in the Maryland Jockey Club and Pimlico and Laurel, the totalisator giant AmTote, XpressBet, and half-interest in HRTV. MID stock soared with his departure, and his dazzling daughter Belinda quit her involvement with that company.
So where was the Christmas joy?
In Maine.
Maine?
That’s the word, as reports say it could be the hottest new state in gaming if the legislature comes through on talks to broaden the field. Hollywood Slots, Penn National’s big winner in Bangor, is galloping along with slots, and is seeking table games as well. The harness track at Scarborough, denied slots by the city, is considering picking up lock, stock and barrel, like a circus, and moving to a nearby town, Biddeford, that wants them.
Meanwhile, a development in Chicago that requires taking to the pulpit, regardless where the butter is coming from for my bread.
There are two bills snaking through the legislature seeking to ease or remove bans on smoking in casinos. One would provide for it in separate, ventilated quarters. The other would lift the ban entirely for riverboats if – get this – the nearest neighboring state does not have a smoking ban.
This callow influence peddling is playing with people’s health, and what neighboring states do or do not do should have nothing to do with anyone else’s laws.
The Chicago Sun-Times leveled its big editorial guns on the issue this week, putting it rather bluntly in saying “both proposals stink.” The paper disparages the ability of even high-quality ventilation systems to filter out all harmful chemicals, and says second hand smoke would endanger employees.
It also says casinos should not be exempted from a ban that affects other public gathering spots like bars and restaurants.
The argument for making exceptions is that the state is in bad shape.
When casinos get down to betting on their customers’ health, the game turns cruel and crooked.
Now I’ll go outdoors and hug the nearest tree, or at least stand on its stump and shout. And feel better, thank you.
