Florida horsemen continue to totally oppose all decoupling
February 4, 2016,from the United Florida Horsemen
Hallandale Beach, FL — In the wake of news today that the Florida House Regulatory Affairs Committee would be drafting a bill for “partial decoupling,” Florida’s racehorse owners, trainers and breeders vehemently restated their opposition to decoupling in any form.
United Florida Horsemen, which includes a slate of national industry organizations, the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association’s Thoroughbred owners and trainers, along with the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association — the Florida Chapter of the American Quarter Horse Association — and the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, emphatically reminded Florida legislators and others that decoupling will deal a permanent crippling blow to Florida’s lucrative horse racing and cornerstone breeding industry.
Horsemen view “partial decoupling” as simply a stepping-stone that would shoehorn a full-fledged statewide expansion of gambling at the expense of thousands of small businesses and their employees who make up Florida’s horse racing market.
In Marion County alone, the horse industry’s annual economic impact has been measured at $2.62 billion and nearly 20,000 jobs — completely dwarfing any Seminole Compact estimates.
Totally opposed by horsemen, the “partial decoupling” plan now exposed with today’s news would seek to create an artificial “set aside” market and eliminate Florida’s ability to compete for horse racing business with other states by setting up contrived “purse pools” and restricting racing days to completely wipe out any semblance of free enterprise in the sport as it currently exists.
Horsemen emphasized that “partial decoupling” is being peddled solely by casino-only interests, the goal of which is to channel money directly into casinos’ corporate bottom lines that would have normally been circulated into Florida’s economy through normal, healthy horse racing business.
- Seminole compact passes first committee (Thursday, February 11, 2016)
WFSU.org in Tallahassee, Fla., is reporting that a proposed gaming agreement between Florida and the Seminole Indian tribe is moving forward, but legislative leaders don’t expect discussions surrounding the bill to end soon.
- Anticipated Florida Supreme Court slot machine ruling could ultimately prove meaningless (Saturday, February 13, 2016)
While decoupling hangs in the balance, the general consensus around Florida’s Capitol is that gambling expansion in Florida could depend on whether the Florida Supreme Court rules that pari-mutuel permit holders outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties can have slot machines without legislative authorization.
- Armchair guide to Florida’s Senate decoupling drama (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)
Decoupling will be of paramount concern for horsemen and those who are worried about its imminent devastating effects to Florida’s Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horse and Standardbred industries when the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee meets Wednesday (Feb. 17) at 1:30 p.m. (EST).
- Florida Senate Committee passes decoupling bill (Thursday, February 18, 2016)
Bloodhorse.com is reporting that the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee passed two pieces of legislation on Wednesday (Feb. 17), one authorizing a $3 billion gaming compact with the Seminole tribe and another that would allow most racetracks in the state to decide whether they want to continue live racing.
- Florida horsemen urge legislators to comprehend job-killing impact in light of ‘decoupling’ vote (Thursday, February 18, 2016)
In her column today (Feb. 18), entitled “Scant Hope for Horsemen in Senate Gambling Package,” Sunshine State News Publisher Nancy Smith took note of significant and devastating changes in Florida’s gambling and horse racing industry landscape that would take place if bills approved by the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee yesterday go the distance.
- Will “decoupling” kill racing at Pompano? (Friday, February 19, 2016)
In the Friday (Feb. 19) edition of Harness Racing Update, Bill Finley has written an in-depth story about “decoupling” in the state of Florida. Finley writes “legislation to end the marriage between racing and slots continues to gain momentum and, if it becomes a law, would certainly mean the end of racing at Pompano Park while also, perhaps, planting the seeds for similar efforts in other states.”
- Florida Senate Appropriations committee postpones hearing on ‘decoupling’ bill (Tuesday, March 01, 2016)
The Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel is reporting that the Florida Senate Appropriations committee heard 29 bills in total on Tuesday (March 1), but not a bill which would allow “decoupling” in the state.
- Decoupling reprieve for Florida Horse Racing Industry (Friday, March 11, 2016)
United Florida Horsemen statement on decoupling and the 2016 Legislative Session, which ended today (Friday, March 11).