Many people have selective memories or just wrong information. In New York State it was the racetracks wanting slots as much as it was the horsemen. Racetracks wanted full casinos.
For more than 10 years prior to the state legislature passing the VLT laws, the horsemen lobbied for slots. The horsemen's bill never made it out of committee to the floor for a vote. Meanwhile, almost harness track was up for sale. Yonkers had two deals that fell apart.
In the regular Legislative session of 2001, the harness bill once again was introduced for the 11 year with not enough support to make it to the floor. It took the 9/11 disaster to bring NYC and much of NY state to it's financial brink of collapse.
It was then the Law makers needed every revenue stream it could find or create to stop the bleeding and reverse the 20%+ decline in the city and states economy.
Knowing a new form of gambling like slot machines or table games would take a constitutional amendment. A 2-3 year process and a vote by the public. That is when they created the Video Lottery Terminal. Now with VLT's being a legal extension of the other NYS Lottery games.
In New York, at least, racetracks and horsemen had little to do with NY having VLTs. AS I stated, for more than 11 years prior to October, 2001 special Legislative session, the horsemen's bill for slots never had enough juice to make more than a pipe dream. It took a disaster like the mass killing of 9/11 and the desperation to rebuild the lost revenues to get it done.
This is my recollection of the events leading up to the state allowing VLTs at tracks. The actions of the state legislator showed for 11 years they had no intentions of bailing out racetracks or horsemen.
In NY, the horsemen owe a debt of gratitude to Joe Faraldo for masterminding the contract he negotiated with the state. And, for the renewals as well. Joe knows this gravy train has a expiration date and, he milks it for every penny leaving nothing behind.
I will say, the onley one who makes out better than the Yonkers horsmen is Joe Faraldo. So what.
