THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 15, 1996 TAG: 9601130012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
It is amazing to me the fervor whipped up by Sen. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, over the opening of off-track betting parlors. It seems to me that OTB parlors have already been approved by the voters. This should be an indication to any politician that a majority of voters want OTB parlors.
Delay in the building of Colonial Downs has been caused by a frivolous lawsuit filed by a racetrack-owner ``wannabe.'' Certainly, all of the barristers in the General Assembly are familiar with frivolous lawsuits.
The track will be built. So why the opposition to OTB; especially since the profits will go into purses for live races at the Colonial Downs racetrack?
Mr. Stolle states that his major concern is that Arnold Stansley does not have the ability to build a track in Virginia. He must sincerely doubt the judgment of the Virginia Racing Commission, which has already granted Mr. Stansley the track license. With the recent addition of Mr. Jacobs, owner of the Cleveland Indians, to the ownership of Colonial Downs, Mr. Stolle's fears from a financial standpoint should be relieved.
It is hypocritical for anyone associated with the Virginia General Assembly to try to stop Virginians from betting on thoroughbred horses while the state government is encouraging citizens to play the lottery. They are both pari-mutuel betting, and one is fairer than the other: Thoroughbred wagering returns about 80 percent to the bettors; the lottery returns about 50 percent.
The voters have spoken. The voters want a track and the voters want OTB. Bring on both.
JOHN D. DAVIS
Virginia Beach, Jan. 9, 1996 by CNB