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He explained, the Fairgrounds is being proposed as the site of the card room since it <br />already has a gambling environment in place. If this is successful, the card room would be <br />under the control and supervision of the Fair Association and it would contract with a manager <br />to operate it, but it would still be the responsible party. The City would share in the revenues, <br />it would create local employment and the operation would be under the direction of the Chief <br />of Police. He urged Council to study the proposal. The ramifications that could happen if the <br />Fair Board doesn't find some monetary relief will be disasterous. <br /> <br /> Mayor Tarver commented that this is the first time this issue of horse racing dates has <br />been brought before Council and how it affects the fair and the community. It seemed that the <br />fairs around the state should go to their constituent cities and get some support. He felt the <br />opportunity is being missed to lobby the Horse Racing Board by not having this in front of the <br />Mayor's Conference, in front of cities in Alameda County, the Board of Supervisors, and the <br />cities around other fairs that would support trying to encourage the Horse Racing Board not to <br />take an action to satisfy the owners but to satisfy the community. He felt the Fair Association <br />should be working to create its own lobbying effort to confront the Horse Racing Board. <br /> <br /> Mr. Baily stated that there is a two year bill which has gotten the interest of the other <br />racing fairs that are affected by this. Unfortunately, Senator Maddy has been instrumental in <br />support of the larger racing institutions and the fairs have not benefitted as much as have the <br />racing associations. <br /> <br /> Mayor Tarver stated that other than a League meeting when the gaming issue came up, <br />there hasn't been any discussion about the effects of legislation on fair operations. <br /> <br /> Mr. Bailey stated that during a union strike in 1976 against the County, the Fairgrounds <br />was picketed, shutting down racing; the attendance was cut in half. <br /> <br /> Mayor Tarver mentioned that there have been discussions about land use authority <br />between the City and Fair Board. The Mayor referred to the massive parking area that is vacant <br />unless the Fair is in operation; he felt there was opportunity to use those facilities for something <br />(in-line skating) when the Fair was not in operation. <br /> <br /> Rodney Blonien, lobbyist for the horse racing industry and card club interests, stated that <br />the California Horse Racing Board when conducting its business considers the following <br />principles: 1) maximize state revenues; 2) take action to encourage and foster the breeding and <br />raising of horses. There will be more money bet if the horse races are conducted at Bay <br />Meadows and Golden Gate Fields than at Pleasanton or Stockton. There is a declining pool of <br />race horses across the country. Senator Maddy is going to introduce a bill to the Legislature <br />that would require the Horse Racing Board to have overlapping dates. That would give Bay <br />Meadows and Golden Gate Fields each twenty plus weeks of racing. At that point, there is <br />competition for the number of horses racing between the two facilities at the same time. The <br />better horses will go to Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows because the purses will be bigger. <br /> <br />11/07/95 - 17- <br /> <br /> <br />