Racetrack Casinos Battling Indian Tribes in February Vote

Everything revolves around money. The person who wins the presidential election this year will have raised millions of dollars for their campaign. In California, a vote involving casino gambling could also be decided by money.

The owner of Bay Meadows race track has been fighting against compacts that have been made with four Indian tribes. The owner believes that the compact would ruin his business and put race tracks in danger of not being able to compete.

The problem he is having is the tribes have raised an unbelievable amount of money to win the vote that will take place in February. So far, in 2007 the four tribes have raised $44.5 million. Californians Against Unfair Deals have raised only $10.4 million.

The compact allows the tribes to add 17,000 new slot machines. That addition would put race tracks at a severe disadvantage in battling for gambling dollars in the state.

Governor Schwarzenegger made the deal with the Indian tribes to try and improve the state budget. The compacts will be hard to defeat in the election. They currently have firefighters, police, and labor unions supporting the compacts.

The vote will take place on February 5th and voters will decide whether to approve the compacts or not.

January 9, 2008
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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