Page 26 - 8March2013.pdf

Texas By The Numbers
2002
2011
% Change
QH Foal Crop
21,499
15,796
-27%
QH Owners
140,203
110,771
-21%
QH Purses
$12,262,440
$8,584,871
-30%
QH Races
1,352
800
-41%
QH Starters
3,472
2,427
-30%
QH Race Dates
132
87
-34%
All-Breeds Wagering
$490,913,650
$126,574,879
-74%
TRC Licenses*
15,466
8,484
-45%
TB Mares Bred
3,628
1,168
-68%
TB Stallions Standing
438
188
-57%
TB Foal Crop
1,952
800
-59%
TB Purses
$32,601,743
$15,218,740
-53%
TB Races
2,075
995
-52%
TB Starters
4,694
2,506
-47%
TB Race Dates
223
121
-46%
* owners, trainers, jockeys and workers at the tracks
of purses between Texas and the surrounding states. In 2012, purses for horse racing in the statessurroundingTexastotaled$214million. In Texas, purses were $24 million.
“No wonder we are losing this industry. Their purses are almost 10 times ours, and their opportunities are significantly more,” Fick said. “I think we have a better chance (than in 2011), in particular if the people turn out and let their legislators know, and in par- ticular the Lt. Governor and the Governor and the Speaker, how dramatic this situation is and how desperately we need this. If we get it to the right committees, we think we can at least get it to the floor on one side or the other.”
Texas HORSE is also quick to point out the results of another survey conducted by “Let Texans Decide,” a coalition of state busi- ness leaders, horsemen, community organiza- tions, and Texas citizens which is focused on
urging the state legislature to provide citizens with an opportunity to vote on a sensible casino-stylegamingplanforTexas. The survey of 1,001 registered voters, conducted Jan. 27-30, posed the question: Regardless of your views on gambling, would you support or oppose allowing Texas voters to decide
on a constitutional amendment to allow the expansion of gaming in Texas?
The Wilson Perkins Allen opinion survey shows voters support a constitutional amend- ment election on expanded gaming by over- whelming numbers. Among a representative sample of general election voters, 82 percent of respondents indicated support for a ballot initia- tive on expanded gaming, with 62 percent – five of every eight survey respondents – indicating strong support for a constitutional amendment on gaming. Among Republican primary voters sampled, 78 percent indicated support.
Studies have shown an estimated $2.5 bil- lion leaves Texas when Texans cross the state
line to gamble in Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. One of the biggest arguments against slot machines at racetracks is that it will expand gambling in the state. Fick, however, notes that gambling is already taking place at the licensed facilities, so adding gaming machines is not actu- ally an expansion of the gambling footprint.
Also, a total of 43 states have lotteries; 38 states have horse and/or dog racing; and 40 states have casinos. The Texas state lottery pro- vided $1.1 billion in state tax revenues in 2012; The horse and dog racing industries contrib- uted $5 million in state tax revenues in 2011. A 2011 “Economic and Tax Revenue Impact
of Slot Machines at Racetracks in Texas” by TXP, Inc. of Austin, Texas, showed that slot machines at licensed Texas racetracks could produce at maturity as much as $1 billion in additional state tax revenues.
“A lot of our horsemen are Republicans and they need to get more active in their Party and
let legislators know that we have a viable industry that they are about ready to run out of the state, and how important it is,” Fick said. “This is not an immoralbusiness,thisisabusinessandit’shighly regulated. It’s a green business. It’s entertainment. It draws tourism. If you’re the number 1 horse state in the country, you’ve got to have horse rac- ing. The state has to wake up to that fact, and the horsemen have to become more active, especially in the Republican Party. If we do that, I think we’ll get something this session that will keep everybody interested and motivated to do something the next time around if we don’t get it done this time.
“Don’t forget, it took us 25 sessions and 50 years to get pari-mutuel back after the Governor shut it down in the 1930s. And we got close
the session before it passed – we got within one vote, and everyone could have given up. But we came back and got it done. We can’t stop.”
To that end, Texas HORSE is asking for another large show of support from state horse- men. Rather than organizing a single day of rallies at the Capitol, horsemen are asked to visit their Senators and Representatives in Austin during the week of April 1-5. Texas HORSE, the Texas Thoroughbred Association and the Texas Quarter Horse Association will help make appointments with individual Senators and Representatives and supply the necessary facts and figures. To participate, visit Texas HORSE online at www.texas.horse.com or contact Dan Fick directly by phone at 817-845-2917 or via email at dan@texas-horse.com.
American Gaming Association 2011 Economic Report
State
Casinos
Jobs
Revenues
Taxes/Fees
New Mexico
29
11,000*
$972 Million
$132 Million
Oklahoma
74
25,000*
$3.5 Billion
$124 Million
Louisiana
18
17,207
$2.4 Billion
$573 Million
*estimated
Tribal casinos are not required to report revenues other than those that require a percentage fee to be paid to the state
24 SPEEDHORSE, March 8, 2013