by Lynne Snierson, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Boston, MA — In the wake of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling of Tuesday (June 24) that a referendum to repeal the state’s casino law may appear on the November ballot, the new owners of Plainridge Park Casino vowed a vigorous fight to defend the law.

“We remain confident that Massachusetts voters will want to protect the thousands of new jobs and the hundreds of millions in annual tax revenues that our new industry will generate, in addition to recapturing over $1 billion being wagered by Mass. residents in neighboring states each year,” Eric Schippers, senior vice president of public affairs and government relations for Penn National Gaming Inc., said in a statement.

In February the state’s struggling harness racing and breeding industries were given new life when PNGI won the competitive bidding process for the sole slots parlor license authorized by the Massachusetts 2011 expanded gambling legislation.

PNGI then purchased the track for $42 million and other incentives from Ourway Realty Partnership, which had been disqualified and deemed unsuitable to hold a gaming license by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission last August.

PNGI has already paid the $25 million non-refundable slots license fee and construction on what will be the new $225 million racing and gaming facility has already begun.

“Our fight to protect jobs and preserve this economic development opportunity for Massachusetts begins today,” Schippers said. “Construction on the Plainridge Park Casino remains full steam ahead, and we continue to anticipate a June 2015 opening.”

Meanwhile, the future of the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industries in New England, which have been living under a cloud of uncertainty, became more in doubt after the High Court’s ruling.

The expanded gambling law also authorized three destination resort casinos for separate geographical regions of the state and its repeal would devastate the Thoroughbred horsemen as well as the Standardbred horsemen.

Suffolk Downs, the last of 17 Thoroughbred tracks in New England, has partnered with Mohegan Sun to build a $1.3 billion project on the grounds of the 79-year-old track and is one of two finalists for the Boston area license. The track’s owners have consistently maintained that without the casino, they will no longer offer live racing. But with the casino, they pledge to keep racing for a minimum of 15 years.

Mohegan Sun, which will also defend the law, issued a statement which read, “We believe we have the best plan to bring thousands of jobs, world class entertainment, local economic development, and increased tourism to the region and that is our focus right now. We will also join the chorus of others making the case to voters on why this law is good for workers, good for the economy, and good for the Commonwealth.”

The campaign for and against the repeal is expected to attract significant national attention and funding, and it will be waged through election day Nov. 4.