The plus side of this whole situation is that it’s a good bet that if Mr. Speaker’s incredible gift of a no-bid, no-vetting, pre-approved slots license for Suffolk Down does go through, then Suffolk Downs will eventually just drop racing all together and stick only with things that actually make $$$ (duh), which is what the Twin Rivers track in RI eventually did. After all, no matter how much cash the slots are bringing in, a business can’t just keep open forever a whole huge, expensive separate operation the doesn’t make any money, can they? I mean, they have a fiduciary responsibility to their investors and such so, once the slots license is in hand, there will be no reason to keep the non-viable, money losing horse racing and it really would even be financially irresponsible to do so.
So, at least Mr. Speaker’s sweetheart give-away to Suffolk Downs will probably be good for old Boston Harbor, which (once the slots are fully operational and the racing operation becomes fully superfluous) will be receiving less “turbid, brown runoff.” Of course, that will also be good for the old racehorses that will be free of Suffolk Downs unfortunate double talk about and tolerance for their slaughter. This massive welfare program for track owners is still a horrible idea, but sometimes you just have to look for a silver lining.
See NYTImes: “Gamble Sours for Many Kentucky Horse Breeders”