Post by admin on Apr 15, 2010 5:51:31 GMT -5
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Committee to save the horse industry reconvenes
Monmouth County Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry has reconstituted her local Save the Horse Committee in an effort to focus the state’s attention on the ailing horse racing industry that is vital to Monmouth County.
Two of New Jersey’s racetracks are in Monmouth County — Freehold Raceway in Freehold and Monmouth Park in Oceanport.
The Save the Horse Committee has endorsed S-685, a bill by Sen. Sean T. Kean (RMonmouth) that would allow the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford to install video lottery terminals, according to a Monmouth County press release.
“My interest and the concerns of the Save the Horse Committee obviously lie with the saving the horse racing industry,” Burry said in the press release. “Right now New Jersey is losing out to racetracks outside New Jersey that offer more opportunities for gamblers. Our racetracks cannot compete, and as the purses get smaller, horse owners are moving their operations to neighboring states.
Gov. Chris Christie has established a new state panel called the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission to advise him on how to repair the financial and structural challenges currently facing Atlantic City, the Meadowlands, the state’s racetracks and the New Jersey Sports and ExpositionAuthority.
The commission will look at the viability of the sports authority, find a resolution to the stalled Xanadu retail project in the Meadowlands, suggest improvements to make Atlantic City competitive and horse racing self-sustaining, and resolve the competition for events that exists between the Izod Center in the Meadowlands and the Prudential Center in Newark. Christie has said the commission’s suggestions are due by June 30.
Burry said that gives the Save the Horse Committee an opportunity to make its concerns known.
“If something is not done soon to help New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry, the impact will be felt in an eventual decline of the quality of life in Monmouth County and the rest of New Jersey when horse farms close and breeders move their operations elsewhere,” Burry said. “Agricultural and horse farms will turn into housing developments if we let the horse industry slip away.”
Burry created the committee two years ago to lobby state lawmakers to help the state’s horse racing industry, which in recent years has been threatened by states such as New York and Pennsylvania, where racetracks have slot machines that are drawing gambling dollars away from New Jersey. Compounding
the situation are the Atlantic City casinos, which have lobbied against allowing slot machines and video lottery terminals at racetracks.
Millstone Township Mayor Nancy Grbelja, who owns several racehorses, will again serve as chairwoman of the reconstituted committee.
“The exodus of horses and breeders will continue until the state establishes a long-term solution to make the racetracks of
New Jersey self-sufficient and lucrative for our horsemen,” Grbelja said. “We will be renewing our efforts to make our representatives in Trenton understand, so they can take the necessary action to preserve what we have. Once we lose a horse farm, we can never get it back. In New Jersey, horse racing equals open space.”
Other members of the committee are Oceanport Mayor Michael J. Mahon; FreeholdBoroughCouncilman John Newman; Dr. Greg Dey of Manalapan, a veterinarian; Tom Luchento, president, Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association (SBOA); Anthony T. Abbatiello, SBOA co-founder and N.J. Racing Commission member.
And, John Ryan of Colts Neck, thoroughbred breeder; Pat Butch of Millstone Township, standardbred breeder; Anthony Perretti, owner, Perretti Farms, Upper Freehold Township; Mark Mullen, owner, Fair Winds Farm, Upper Freehold Township; and John Ciufo, director, Monmouth County Administrative Department, Planning and Economic Development and Regulatory Affairs.
Committee to save the horse industry reconvenes
Monmouth County Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry has reconstituted her local Save the Horse Committee in an effort to focus the state’s attention on the ailing horse racing industry that is vital to Monmouth County.
Two of New Jersey’s racetracks are in Monmouth County — Freehold Raceway in Freehold and Monmouth Park in Oceanport.
The Save the Horse Committee has endorsed S-685, a bill by Sen. Sean T. Kean (RMonmouth) that would allow the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford to install video lottery terminals, according to a Monmouth County press release.
“My interest and the concerns of the Save the Horse Committee obviously lie with the saving the horse racing industry,” Burry said in the press release. “Right now New Jersey is losing out to racetracks outside New Jersey that offer more opportunities for gamblers. Our racetracks cannot compete, and as the purses get smaller, horse owners are moving their operations to neighboring states.
Gov. Chris Christie has established a new state panel called the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission to advise him on how to repair the financial and structural challenges currently facing Atlantic City, the Meadowlands, the state’s racetracks and the New Jersey Sports and ExpositionAuthority.
The commission will look at the viability of the sports authority, find a resolution to the stalled Xanadu retail project in the Meadowlands, suggest improvements to make Atlantic City competitive and horse racing self-sustaining, and resolve the competition for events that exists between the Izod Center in the Meadowlands and the Prudential Center in Newark. Christie has said the commission’s suggestions are due by June 30.
Burry said that gives the Save the Horse Committee an opportunity to make its concerns known.
“If something is not done soon to help New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry, the impact will be felt in an eventual decline of the quality of life in Monmouth County and the rest of New Jersey when horse farms close and breeders move their operations elsewhere,” Burry said. “Agricultural and horse farms will turn into housing developments if we let the horse industry slip away.”
Burry created the committee two years ago to lobby state lawmakers to help the state’s horse racing industry, which in recent years has been threatened by states such as New York and Pennsylvania, where racetracks have slot machines that are drawing gambling dollars away from New Jersey. Compounding
the situation are the Atlantic City casinos, which have lobbied against allowing slot machines and video lottery terminals at racetracks.
Millstone Township Mayor Nancy Grbelja, who owns several racehorses, will again serve as chairwoman of the reconstituted committee.
“The exodus of horses and breeders will continue until the state establishes a long-term solution to make the racetracks of
New Jersey self-sufficient and lucrative for our horsemen,” Grbelja said. “We will be renewing our efforts to make our representatives in Trenton understand, so they can take the necessary action to preserve what we have. Once we lose a horse farm, we can never get it back. In New Jersey, horse racing equals open space.”
Other members of the committee are Oceanport Mayor Michael J. Mahon; FreeholdBoroughCouncilman John Newman; Dr. Greg Dey of Manalapan, a veterinarian; Tom Luchento, president, Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association (SBOA); Anthony T. Abbatiello, SBOA co-founder and N.J. Racing Commission member.
And, John Ryan of Colts Neck, thoroughbred breeder; Pat Butch of Millstone Township, standardbred breeder; Anthony Perretti, owner, Perretti Farms, Upper Freehold Township; Mark Mullen, owner, Fair Winds Farm, Upper Freehold Township; and John Ciufo, director, Monmouth County Administrative Department, Planning and Economic Development and Regulatory Affairs.