from Harness Tracks of America

Tucson, AZ — The New Hampshire House has killed the slots at tracks bill by a vote of 212 to 158, and did not even consider an alternative measure.

State Senator Lou D’Allesandro, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who sponsored the bill and has been a longtime proponent of slots at tracks, said the issue still has life, “for the simple reason that there are people unemployed.”

The chairman of the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, former state Senator Jim Rubens, acknowledged the fight “by no means is over, but we’re very pleased by the margin.”

The issue is not dead for the current session, because the House still must vote on its budget cutting bill next month, and then must negotiate with the Senate on a compromise decision.

The bill that was defeated yesterday called for up to 17,000 video slots at three tracks, including HTA member Rockingham Park, and at a golf resort and two other undesignated sites.

Governor John Lynch, who promised a veto of the D’Allesandro bill and the alternative that would have reduced the site to five locations and stipulated a 10,000 maximum but was not considered, has not closed the door entirely. He says he would first review a report he ordered, due next month.

An ad showing Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick smiling, with the caption “Thank You New Hampshire” signifying Massachusetts benefitting from the negative New Hampshire vote, was run by Fix It Now, a coalition supporting the measure killed by the House.