No Slots For Pimlico

It is almost a done deal that Maryland will have slot machines in the near future, but it appears that Pimlico Race Course will be left out of the excitement.

The Governor has proposed 9500 slot machines to be owned and operated by the state, but has not said where he will be putting these machines. Other members of the State Legislature have not been so tight lipped. The jockeying for who should, and who should not receive the slots has started, and it looks like it should be heating up soon.

Senator Lisa Gladden (Majority Whip) said said she is convinced Pimlico is out of the mix, based on conversations with the Senate staff and House delegates Gladden also said that House Speaker Mike Busch doesn't favor slots in general and is dead set against slots at Pimlico because he believes slots would addict poorer people in the Park Heights area near the track. Gladden said the Laurel racetrack is a likelier site for slots because Magna Entertainment Corp., the owner of Pimlico and Laurel, has spent $20 million upgrading Laurel and "nothing" on Pimlico.

It would be a huge mistake to give up the opportunity to infuse money, jobs, and needed infrastructure into the Pimlico neighborhood. Stop trying to hide the slot machines for the poor. If they want to gamble, they will. Put the machines, the jobs, the job training, and the improvements into the neighborhood that needs it most. Pimlico should be the first place they put slots. Pimlico only runs a 40 day meet (currently), and the place needs a lot of work. As it, and the neighborhood deteriorate, they may only run one day a year, the Preakness. What will the people of the neighborhood get out of that? What if Magna sells the property? What will happen then? Will someone come in and build a job training center, and revitalize the neighborhood? I don't think so! PUT SLOTS AT PIMLICO!!!!!!