Horse racing issue discussed

CHARLESTON - West Virginia Delegate Pat McGeehan announced Monday that he has sent a letter to the West Virginia Racing Commission (WVRC) about an ongoing issue.

The letter voices McGeehan's opposition of the potential four-month cancellation of live horse racing in 2010 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.

McGeehan stated that he would like to raise public awareness of the issue, and that he hopes his letter to the commission will help.

McGeehan's letter centers around his belief that the WVRC should rule against the schedule change when it discusses Mountaineer's 2010 live horse racing schedule at a meeting Dec. 7.

"I think it is very important the public knows about this meeting prior to Dec. 7, as public awareness could only affect the situation in a more positive manner," he said.

"Mountaineer Park exists today because of year-round horse racing, and this cannot be forgotten," McGeehan added. "Mountaineer is a horse racing track first, and it was horse racing which allowed the current video lottery and table game operations to exist."

McGeehan stated in the letter that state legislators granted Mountaineer table game rights as a legal feature to its horse racing facility in 2006, and that "the manipulation of these understood conditions after this election is nothing more than fraud."

"Mountaineer Casino was granted these gambling perks as a 'special privilege' from local elected officials in our state government," McGeehan stated in the letter. "Hurting the very jobs it claimed to help would be of further insult to our people and our neighbors."

McGeehan concluded his letter by stating that the WVRC has never had such an opportunity to set a precedent in the state.

"Many families are resting on the outcome of this situation," he stated.

Mountaineer previously submitted a request to the WVRC asking for permission to rearrange next year's live horse racing schedule, which could result in no live horse racing in January, February, November and December.

The resort's request was met with dissension by the Mountaineer Park HBPA because horsemen in the area who have depended on year-round racing at Mountaineer would be out of work for four months if the request is approved.

The Hancock County resort is currently in private contract negotiations with the Mountaineer Park Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), and it is unknown whether the resort's original request to close live horse racing for four months remains unaltered.

Currently, Mountaineer conducts live horse racing year-round with the exception of Super Bowl Sunday, Easter and Christmas. Races are held Saturday-Tuesday from January to March, and Friday-Tuesday from March to December. Live horse racing is only canceled if weather or track conditions are not appropriate for a race.