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The bottom line is looking up
by Outspoken on Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:40 pm
The bottom line is looking up
Harness racing comes back to life in Maine, thanks to $21.2 million in racino revenue.
By JENN MENENDEZ
Staff Writer Portland Press Herald
SCARBOROUGH — Only once has John Beckwith slid a dollar into a slot machine at Bangor's Hollywood Slots, pulled the lever and waited.
He never heard the bells and whistles.
But he's felt the payoff.
A blacksmith and harness-racing driver, Beckwith spends his days at Scarborough Downs, shoeing a dozen horses a week and taking the reins on race days.
It's a living, he said, that has gotten far more comfortable since millions of dollars of new revenue began pouring into the industry in the fall of 2005 when a racino opened at Bangor Raceway with the promise of an industry resurgence.
Since then, purses have more than doubled at both Maine's commercial tracks, race dates have increased, and the quality of horses racing in Maine has improved dramatically because owners can afford better stock.
The harness-racing industry, once on the brink of collapse, is finally enjoying better times, according to a majority of Maine's horsemen and horsewomen.
"We're still down here scratching for a living," said Beckwith. "But it's boosted everyone's morale to race for a little more money. It makes it easier to make a living. Prior to the slots, this was a losing proposition."
From when Hollywood Slots opened through 2008, it has filtered some $21.2 million into harness racing as part of $56.9 million in gaming taxes paid to the state by owner Penn National Gaming.
In 2008 alone, $4.5 million went to increase purses, another $1.3 million specifically to Maine Sire Stakes Fund purses, and another $1.3 million to support the state's agricultural fairs.
"I've seen the resurgence basically of people finally making money," said Henry Jackson, executive director of the state's Harness Racing Commission. "People are able to pay their bills. I would say we've somewhat stabilized our industry and made some strides forward as far as profitability is concerned."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=264996&ac=PHnws
Harness racing comes back to life in Maine, thanks to $21.2 million in racino revenue.
By JENN MENENDEZ
Staff Writer Portland Press Herald
SCARBOROUGH — Only once has John Beckwith slid a dollar into a slot machine at Bangor's Hollywood Slots, pulled the lever and waited.
He never heard the bells and whistles.
But he's felt the payoff.
A blacksmith and harness-racing driver, Beckwith spends his days at Scarborough Downs, shoeing a dozen horses a week and taking the reins on race days.
It's a living, he said, that has gotten far more comfortable since millions of dollars of new revenue began pouring into the industry in the fall of 2005 when a racino opened at Bangor Raceway with the promise of an industry resurgence.
Since then, purses have more than doubled at both Maine's commercial tracks, race dates have increased, and the quality of horses racing in Maine has improved dramatically because owners can afford better stock.
The harness-racing industry, once on the brink of collapse, is finally enjoying better times, according to a majority of Maine's horsemen and horsewomen.
"We're still down here scratching for a living," said Beckwith. "But it's boosted everyone's morale to race for a little more money. It makes it easier to make a living. Prior to the slots, this was a losing proposition."
From when Hollywood Slots opened through 2008, it has filtered some $21.2 million into harness racing as part of $56.9 million in gaming taxes paid to the state by owner Penn National Gaming.
In 2008 alone, $4.5 million went to increase purses, another $1.3 million specifically to Maine Sire Stakes Fund purses, and another $1.3 million to support the state's agricultural fairs.
"I've seen the resurgence basically of people finally making money," said Henry Jackson, executive director of the state's Harness Racing Commission. "People are able to pay their bills. I would say we've somewhat stabilized our industry and made some strides forward as far as profitability is concerned."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=264996&ac=PHnws
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