Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

Thursday 30 November 2017 SPORTS
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Christie’s fight for sports betting heads to Supreme Court

By DAVID PORTER ferent tack, and have ac- agreed. The case was met
Associated Press knowledged that legalized with defeat at the district
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Five gambling is likely to happen court level in New Jersey
years after being sued by and can enhance fans’ in- and twice at the 3rd U.S.
the four major pro sports terest. Of the four leagues, Circuit Court of Appeals
leagues and scolded by only the NFL has remained in Philadelphia. It also has
their top executives for steadfastly opposed to le- cost New Jersey taxpay-
seeking to overturn a fed- galized gambling ers millions in legal fees
eral ban on sports gam- Christie said Wednesday he — nearly $3 million alone
bling, New Jersey Gov. used the same approach from August 2012, when
Chris Christie may be on to sports betting as when the leagues filed suit, to the
the verge of having the last he was U.S. attorney for end of the following year.
word. New Jersey before becom- Christie said Wednesday
The Supreme Court will hear ing governor. the effort will have been
oral arguments Monday in “I used to ask the assistant worth it even if the court
New Jersey’s challenge to New Jersey. Gov. Chris Christie speaks during a news U.S. attorneys to sit around rules against the state.
the Professional and Ama- conference at the Integrity House drug addiction rehabilitation the table and give me all “If you’re unwilling to take
teur Sports Protection Act, center, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in Newark, N.J. the different odds about risks, then you’re never
the 1992 law that barred Associated Press winning and losing and going to achieve great
all states but Nevada and already has spent more panding gambling would what they thought about things,” he said. “Some-
three others from authoriz- than $1 million to build a damage the integrity of the judge, or about the jury, times that means you take
ing sports gambling. Ne- lounge that can be trans- their games. and I would finally get down risks and the risks don’t work
vada is the only state to of- formed into a sports betting In depositions, then-NBA to say: ‘Do you think he’s out. I think we made an
fer single-game wagering. parlor in a matter of weeks. Commissioner David Stern guilty or don’t you? And educated risk. No matter
Christie said Wednesday he It’s been a long road for said New Jersey “has no can you prove it beyond which way it goes, I think
will attend Monday’s argu- Christie, who put a sports idea what it’s doing and a reasonable doubt?’” he it was the right decision to
ments and that he is “cau- betting referendum on the doesn’t care because all said. “In this instance I was make. And by the way, it
tiously optimistic.” ballot in 2011 that passed it’s interested in is making like, ‘Do we believe we’re was the will of the people
A decision is due by late overwhelmingly. He signed a buck or two.” Then-MLB right? Do we believe states who voted in a referendum
spring, and states across a law in 2012 allowing it Commissioner Bud Selig have the right to determine in broad numbers that they
the country are poised to at casinos and racetracks said he was “really ap- for themselves what hap- wanted sports gaming in
offer sports gambling if the and was sued by the NFL, palled” by Christie’s ac- pens regarding gaming in- their state. So part of this
court strikes down all or part NHL, NBA, Major League tions. side their own borders?’ I is also making sure you ex-
of the law. New Jersey’s Baseball and the NCAA, all Both commissioners’ suc- believe we’re right.” ecute upon the will of the
Monmouth Park Racetrack of which argued that ex- cessors have taken a dif- Federal judges have not people you represent.”q

Nashville, Sacramento head MLS expansion finalists

NEW YORK (AP) — Nashville, expansion teams: Char- Carl H. Lindner III, co-CEO
Tennessee, is among four lotte, North Carolina; India- of American Financial
finalists for a pair of Major napolis; Phoenix; Raleigh/ Group and owner of FC
League Soccer expansion Durham, North Carolina; St. Cincinnati in the second-
teams after government fi- Louis; San Antonio; San Di- tier United Soccer League.
nancing for a new stadium ego; and Tampa/St. Peters- The Cincinnati City Council
was approved this month. burg, Florida. on Monday approved a
Sacramento, California, is The Metro Nashville City plan for the city to invest up
considered a front-runner Council on Nov. 7 ap- to $36 million in infrastruc-
along with Nashville for the proved $225 million in rev- ture such as roads around
teams, which the league in- enue bonds to construct a a privately funded stadium.
tends to award next month. 27,500-seat soccer stadium A day earlier, the commu-
Each winner will pay a $150 and an additional $50 mil- nity council in the Oakley
million expansion fee. lion in bonds for renovations neighborhood where the
Cincinnati and Detroit also and improvements around In this Dec. 9, 2016, file photo, MLS Commissioner Don Garber stadium would be built vot-
remain in contention, but the site at the current fair- holds a state of the league news conference in Toronto. Four ed against the proposal.
without firm plans for new grounds. Nashville’s group cities are in the running to join Major League Soccer. Detroit’s group is seen as
stadiums, they are viewed includes John Ingram, the Associated Press having the poorest chance
as long shots. chairman of Ingram Indus- pre-construction activity for tentatively awarded a Mi- after announcing Nov. 1 it
Presentations to the tries Inc., and the Wilf fam- a 19,621-seat downtown ami team in 2014, but that would use Ford Field, home
league’s expansion com- ily, owner of the NFL’s Min- stadium. is contingent on a stadium of the NFL’s Lions. The
mittee are scheduled for nesota Vikings. MLS has 22 teams this sea- site he has thus far failed to group includes Dan Gilbert,
Dec. 6, and MLS owners Sacramento’s group in- son and Los Angeles FC is secure. The league in 2015 owner of the NBA’s Cleve-
will discuss expansion when cludes Kevin Nagle, a mi- to start play in March at a announced plans to ex- land Cavaliers and chair-
they meet eight days later nority owner of the NBA’s new stadium under con- pand to 28 teams and said man of Quicken Loans Inc.,
in New York. Sacramento Kings, and Jed struction near the Coliseum. last December that teams and Tom Gores, owner of
Eight areas were cut from York, CEO of the NFL’s San Former Manchester United, 25 and 26 will start play by the NBA’s Detroit Pistons
the list Wednesday but re- Francisco 49ers. The group Real Madrid and LA Galaxy 2020. and chairman of Platinum
main in contention for later said in July it was starting star David Beckham was Cincinnati’s group includes Equity.q