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State Representative Buchy
The Horse
Racing Industry is Growing in Ohio and Benefitting Local Agriculture
Not long ago, the Horse Racing Industry was operating on small purses
in Ohio. With less prize money for winners, it was difficult to
attract the best horses, leaving the sport and the agricultural
industry that surrounds it struggling to remain afloat. With
little incentive to invest in Ohio’s racing industry, the best breeders
and horses were leaving Ohio to race elsewhere. This also meant
that the many Ohioans who are fans of the sport would travel outside of
the state to enjoy races and place bets on their favorite horses.
Money was leaving Ohio that we desperately needed in our state.
In Ohio, we operate two main types of horse racing. There is
Thoroughbred racing, like the kind we see at the Kentucky Derby and
other famous horse racing events, and then there is Standardbred, which
is more prevalent at county fairs and smaller scale racing
events. Both types of racing occur at professional tracks across
the state of Ohio for race fans to enjoy from spring to fall. The
decline of the horse racing industry hurt both types of racing in our
state, but recent actions have turned things around for this important
industry.
Since 2012, changes in state policy have allowed Ohio’s racetracks to
utilize Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), bringing the “racino” concept
to Ohio. Racinos have revitalized the horse racing sport in Ohio,
with VLTs attracting new patrons and new revenue to racetracks.
This pumps more money into the racing industry, allowing tracks to
offer larger prizes to race winners, drawing the best horses back to
Ohio.
Currently, there are seven racinos operating in Ohio with VLTs.
While none of these facilities are located in the 84th House District,
this boom in the industry has a great effect on our community. In
western Ohio, there are several families that are directly involved in
the horse racing industry. Additionally, Standardbred racing is
an important financial component of many of our county fairs,
attracting fans from across the area. Horse racing greatly
benefits our agriculture industry in a number of ways as well,
including increased sales of grain and hay.
VLTs have revitalized the horse racing industry in Ohio and the effects
can be felt across the state, especially in western Ohio. As your
state representative, I will continue to work toward state policies
that allow industries, like horse racing, to thrive and encourage the
growth of our economy.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyjune2015
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