Senate gives thumbs down on racino at Canterbury Park
The Senate today (April 20) voted down two proposed gambling amendments to the state government finance bill.
Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, a long-time advocate of state-sponsored gambling, offered the racino amendment that would have the state taking a cut of the action on expanded gambling at Canterbury Park in Shakopee.
“How can we pass up a billion dollars sitting there,” said Day of potential gambling revenue to the state. “There is nothing on the dark side of it,” he said.
Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, argued that Day’s proposal did not constitute a state-run casino — the state wouldn’t be on the hook if the venture failed, she explained.
Additionally, Robling argued that a racino would invigorate the Minnesota horse industry, which now looks to the south for its future, she opined.
But Democrats argued that gambling dollars are unstable — a “nightmare” to budget with, opined Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing — and that the state should not look to gambling to solve its problems just as an individual should not do so.
Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, offered another gambling amendment, one dealing with electronic pull-tabs, but both Tomassoni’s and Day’s amendments failed.
Local lawmakers voting for the racino amendment: Erickson Ropes, Johnson, Jungbauer, Koch, Koering, Metzen, Pariseau, and Robling.
Voting against: Betzold, Carlson, Chaudhary, Doll, Fobbe, Foley, Gerlach, Limmer, Olseen, Rummel, Sieben, Vandeveer, and Wiger.
