Another push for video-gambling machines at Colorado’s struggling racetracks could be on the horizon.
Representatives of Mile High Greyhound Park in Commerce City recently met with city officials to discuss preliminary redevelopment plans that would include restaurants, shops and casino-style gambling.
“They wanted to redevelop the racetrack,” said Commerce City Mayor Paul Natale. “What they talked about was some kind of casino. They wanted to do something out on the building they presently have.”
The track’s previous owner, Wembley, poured millions into a 2003 campaign to allow Colorado’s racetracks to operate video-lottery terminals, which are similar to slot machines but only accept paper money instead of coins. The measure was handily rejected by statewide voters.
Wembley sold the Commerce City track — along with Pueblo Greyhound Park, Aurora’s Arapahoe Park and Colorado Springs’ Post Time Greyhound Park — to BLB Investors in 2005.
Natale said BLB officials told him they planned to make this redevelopment push since acquiring the properties, and would make a public announcement by the end of this month.
Natale met with BLB’s executive vice president of operations Bruce Fraser, political consultant Greg Kolomitz and longtime track employee Bill Lee.
Kolomitz and Fraser didn’t return calls seeking comment.
BLB is a partnership between gambling magnate Solomon Kerzner’s Kerzner International, Starwood Capital Group and the Waterford Group. BLB operates a “racino” — a racetrack featuring video-lottery terminals — in Rhode Island, which it also acquired from Wembley.
Arapahoe County Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld said Tuesday he has met twice with Starwood executive David Friedman, who expressed “interest in making some economic development investments around the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds near the (Arapahoe Park) racetrack.”
Friedman declined to say whether the investments would be tied to a push for video-gambling machines, Bockenfeld said.
Colorado’s greyhound- and horse- racing industry has struggled ever since the state approved casino gambling in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek. Cloverleaf Kennel Club in Loveland stopped live racing in 2006 after years of declining revenue.
In 2003, Wembley billed a video-lottery terminal initiative as a way to revive the industry and boost tourism promotion.
Another push for the machines could put two competing gambling measures on November’s ballot.
Rep. Al White, R-Winter Park, is working on a proposal that would lift the $5 betting limit and expand hours of operations at casinos in the mountain towns. He said lifting the limits to $100 and allowing casinos, which are required to close at 2 a.m., to operate 24 hours a day could double the industry’s revenue.
Some of the increased revenue would fund higher education, he said.
White’s referred measure would require two-thirds approval from the Senate and House of Representatives to get placed on the ballot.
In 2003, Wembley gathered 120,000 signatures to put its initiative on the ballot.
White said he has heard that the racing industry would pursue the same route this time around.
The casino industry, which led the battle against the racetrack initiative in 2003, will undoubtedly oppose it again, White said. He said he has not spoken with the industry about his measure.
The gambling industry, in general, views presidential election years as the prime time for gambling measures because more liberal voters show up at the polls.
