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Racetrack proposal is iffy
On the side
Job applicants: Ex-state Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood, a Democrat from Niles, is among the thousands of people applying for jobs with the Gov. John Kasich administration.
Harwood, an attorney, submitted applications for 33 different positions with the new Republican administration. She left the Ohio House a few weeks ago, unable to run for a fifth two-year term because of the state’s term-limits law.
Republicans from the Mahoning Valley who applied to work for Kasich include: Jim Graham of Cortland, the failed 2010 candidate for the 17th Congressional District; Don Manning of North Lima, the failed 2010 candidate for Mahoning County commissioner; Randy Law of Warren, a former state House member; and Edward Crepage Jr. of Austintown, Mahoning County Republican Party vice chairman.
The announcement of a proposed $300 million horse racetrack, resort and possibly a casino with slot machines raises more questions than answers.
On the surface, it sounds implausible. It only gets worse when you dig deeper.
Rick Lertzman and Bradford Pressman, heads of the Mahoning Valley Development Group behind the concept, said they have the money and ability to make this happen.
But to date, they’ve been evasive on where the money is coming from. They won’t even disclose where they plan to build the Mahoning Valley Downs & Resort.
They also appear to be somewhat less than candid or very confused — neither of which is a good thing.
The two said they were making progress in obtaining a track license from the Ohio State Racing Commission.
Lertzman said earlier this week that he expected the license by late spring or early summer with a groundbreaking in the fall.
However, Tom Fries Jr., the commission’s executive director, said he doesn’t know either of them. Also, he described the commission’s interaction with the pair as “less than informal contact.”
John Izzo, the commission’s deputy director, said Pressman had a general conversation with him in late July 2009 about a racetrack application. Izzo said he also sent Pressman e-mails around that time with information on applying for a license.
Izzo didn’t hear from Pressman until Jan. 5 of this year, again about nothing specific.
The developers contacted the commission after a Monday press conference to schedule a meeting
“We’re trying to schedule a meeting in February,” Fries said.
The horse-racing industry in Ohio is struggling, Fries said, and the commission will listen carefully to the owners of the state’s seven other tracks before deciding if an eighth track is a good idea.
Unless the Mahoning Valley Development Group can prove they have the money to build a track in the Youngstown-area there won’t be a reason for further discussions of the proposal.
On the positive side, the group isn’t coming hat in hand asking for public money for this proposal, and it isn’t as ridiculous as ex-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.’s Indian gambling casino idea that mysteriously disappeared.
The last track to be licensed by the commission was Raceway Park in Toledo in 1959.
Interestingly, Penn National Gaming Inc., the owners of that facility and Beulah Park in Grove City, are examining the possible relocation of both tracks, said Bob Tenenbaum, a company spokesman.
While Tenenbaum won’t confirm it, it is believed Penn National is looking to relocate one of the tracks, likely Raceway Park, to the Valley.
The reason the company is looking to move is Las Vegas-style casinos are planned near both racetracks, he said. Penn National is building the casino near Raceway Park.
“We’re examining the economic situation of both tracks and the potential of moving because of the impact the casinos would have,” Tenenbaum said. “Penn National has not completed its examination.”