CCMIN110795 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mayor Tarver stated that if the issue was specific to the fairgrounds and specific to this area (okay here but not somewhere else), and the voters rejected the card room in this location, then the ordinance would be rejected also. Mr. Pico asked what the benefits to the City would be from a cardroom? Ms. Acosta stated she did not have much information at this point in time. The information she has from other cities is that the revenue can be several hundred thousand to several million dollars, depending on the number of tables in the club, popularity of the club, etc. The City of San Jose has considerable revenue coming from the two card clubs are within its jurisdiction. This item was brought forward to Council to see if it wants to have more discussion with the possibility of helping the Fairgrounds continue to have the fine operation it has. Mayor Tarver commented that knowing how the state has manipulated the sales tax and other taxes he did not feel there was a way to rely on this a permanent source of revenue. Mr. Tarver asked if anyone from the public wanted to comment on this. Peter Bailey, Secretary/Manager of the Fair Association, asked Council's consideration for the reinstatement of the card room ordinance. The Alameda County Fair Association is a non-profit organization. The organization has 26 board members and is 100% self-supporting. It operates and maintains the Fairgrounds under a contract with Alameda County. The Fairgrounds was the City's largest public relations entity. The racing program is successful and has satellite betting from as far away as Hong Kong. He continued, the Fair's racing dates are threatened by Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. The summer dates are the primary dates for the year. Both Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields have approached the California Horse Racing Board on several occasions to have those dates assigned to themselves, saying they can generate more revenue for the state than can the fairs. The Fair Board is being threatened with the loss of approximately $2 million dollars if the Fair loses its racing dates. If the racing dates are lost so is the Fair. The racing dates are to be reduced to eleven days versus thirteen in the past. This two day drop is to match day for day with Hollywood Park as requested by the Dates Committee from the California Racing Board. Golden Gate Fields also put in a proposal for the week during the County Fair. Golden Gate has made it known to the Horse Racing Board that it would like the Fair's summer days, particularly the Fourth of July. The Fourth of July is the largest racing day. Golden Gate's proposal encompasses a full summer circuit including all the fairs and it would have racing on a day on day ove~ap including Friday-Sunday weekends, leaving the fairs unopposed only on Wednesday and Thursdays. The majority of the horses are stabled during the fair circuit at Bay Meadows or Golden Gate Fields. If the owners knew that they would be able to race Friday, Saturday and Sunday for larger purses with larger fields than what they can get at the fairs, then few would leave the stables and take their horses to the fairs. 11/07/95 - 16-