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This isn’t the first time the country has
been presented with the problem occurring at racetracks around the
county—not as many patrons bet on horseracing anymore and many tracks are
going out of business. Many states have approved slot machines at racetracks
within the state as a way for the tracks to bring in the added revenue the
slot machines provide. Slot machines always prove to be a huge money-making
business and when combined with the racetracks they can often revitalize the
racetrack and bring in added interest in the sport.
For the Ascot Jockey Club at North Saanich Track, they are hoping for
approval from the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation otherwise they may have
to close down the track. Without the added revenue from slot machines, it
isn’t anticipated that the racetrack could last for much longer.
Bill Randall is the tracks lawyer is dedicated to bringing in the slot
machines—even though that has proven harder than he initially planned. And
the hold-up on the slots isn’t at the Great Canadian Gaming Corp. On the
contrary, the GCGC has been on board with the slot machines at the track for
six years, but the local zoning commission will not approve the rezoning
application extension even though they have pressed upon them the necessity
of slot machine approval.
The racetrack has already seen the harsh realities of running the track on
the limited budget—their racing season has been pared down to merely 10
races and unfortunately the purses, which are huge incentives for the races,
have been forced to be subsidized by nearby racetracks that benefit from
slot machines revenue. With the business operating in the red right now, it
doesn’t bode well for the tracks longevity.
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