Tag: Greyhound Racing

Group Seeks Legislation to End State Greyhound Racing

An anti-greyhound racing organization has introduced legislation to state lawmakers, hoping it will be passed during the 2016 season.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that Grey2K USA’s board of directors held a meeting last weekend in Charleston to discuss the legislation, which would eliminate racetrack casinos in Nitro and Wheeling. Grey2K USA is a humane association focused on the welfare of greyhounds.

During the 2015 regular session, time ran out on negotiations on legislation introduced in the Senate to eliminate the provision in state law that requires the two racetrack casinos to offer greyhound racing, while providing a multi-million dollar buyout to current greyhound owners and breeders.

Sen. Chris Walters, R-Putnam, told the board members Monday that an agreed-to bill will be ready on the first day of the 2016 session.

Racing Commission to Study Struggling Industry

The West Virginia state racing commission has voted to create a committee to study ways to maintain and grow the state’s struggling thoroughbred and greyhound racing industries.

The Charleston Gazette reports the commission approved the committee Tuesday as officials say the state’s racing and gaming industries continue to experience revenue declines. 

The committee, made up of 20 representatives of the state’s four racetracks, tourism industry officials, and thoroughbred and greyhound owners and breeders, will be divided into four subcommittees. The representatives will study economic growth and revenue enhancement; marketing; modernizing state code on racing issues and updating racing calendars.

The interim joint committee meets on Monday. After next week, legislative interim committees are not scheduled to meet again until September.

W.Va. Breeders Say Budget Cuts Hurting Ractracks

Thoroughbred and greyhound breeders say that budget cuts to state racing subsidies are hurting the industry.

The Charleston Gazette reports the two groups made their cases to a legislative committee Wednesday.

Most recently, the state chopped racing subsidies for the current budget year by 10 percent.

Mardi Gras racetrack in Charleston showed purses for greyhound racing dropped from $98,000 for the first week of Sept. 2010 to $61,700 this year. The weekly share going to greyhound owners dropped from $34,700 in 2010 to $18,200 this year.

West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association President Sam Burdette said three of 17 kennels at Mardi Gras made enough to cover expenses last week.

Thoroughbred breeders expressed similar financial concerns.

Representatives from the tracks did not attend.

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