14-Jul-09. Thoroughbred racing could be fading in the backstretch. Edmonton Journal, A9.

This article provides a commentary on the state of horse racing industry in Alberta. It is noted that the industry is unable sustain itself on its own but has survived thanks to annual support from the province’s Horse Racing Breeding and Renewal Program. Since 2002, horse racing has been allowed to keep a significant percentage of the revenues from the very busy casinos at facilities like Northlands Park in Edmonton.

29-Nov-08. Harness industry champing at the bit. Edmonton Journal, A1.

The closing of the track at Calgary’s Stampede Park and a two-year delay in opening a new track at Balzac have left harness racers with nowhere to race. Alberta horse racing officials will soon announce a plan to assist harness racing in the province by opening the doors at Northlands Park in Edmonton to 50 days of races this year. Competition with other forms of gambling has to led to declining attendance, and betting at the track for both thoroughbred and standardbred racing in Alberta. The province has supported the industry since 2002 through a program that allows horse racing to keep some of the proceeds of slot machines at racetrack entertainment centres.

1-Oct-08. Report finds problems with idea of gaming tax. National Post, A13.

A new City of Toronto report discusses potential new taxes on the gaming industry, including the purchase of lottery tickets, slot machine winnings or entry to Woodbine racetrack. The report indicates that such measures would be legally and logistically difficult to implement. Woodbine Entertainment, the group that runs the racetrack and the city’s only slot machines, said it would oppose either an entry fee, a levy on slot machines or a tax on betting transactions and winnings.

4-Sep-08. McClellan gets the nod. Red Deer Advocate, B1.

Horse Racing Alberta announced Wednesday that Shirley McClellan, a former deputy premier, has been selected as the chairwoman of Horse Racing Alberta. It was under McClellan’s guidance as Alberta’s agriculture minister that the province created the Horse Racing Alberta Act, which has brought new life to the industry. The act gives Horse Racing Alberta access to gambling income, which has enabled it to set up financial incentive programs for home-bred race horses.

5-Jul-08. Wheels may fall of harness racing. Edmonton Journal, A1.

Gaming and racing manager Les Butler of Edmonton’s Northlands said the not-for-profit organization has reached an understanding with the thoroughbred horsemen for 100 days of racing annually for a three-year period next spring. It would come at the exclusion of harness racing, other than possibly four months in the winter. Wagering on thoroughbred racing at Northlands is double that of harness racing. The article goes on to detail related issues in the Alberta racing industry.

15-Jun-07. ‘Broke’ province putting millions on horses: Grits. Calgary Herald, A1.

The Alberta Liberals are criticizing the ruling Conservatives for budgeting $56-million towards horse racing this year.  The funding is derived from slot machine and VLT revenues from gambling machines at racetracks.  A ten year deal has been signed between the Alberta government and Horse Racing Alberta.

19-Jan-07. Let’s axe horse racing subsidies. Red Deer Advocate, A4.

This editorial is critical of the $190-million in taxpayer subsidies that have been given by the provincial government to Horse Racing Alberta since 2002. It is noted that past Alberta premiers Ralph Klein and Don Getty were both prominent players in decisions made to support horse racing. Liberal MLA Maurice Tougas is now calling on the Convervative government to end the racing subsidy. The author contends that the racing industry is being subsidized for all the wrong reasons and that it was the Conservatives under Klein who vowed to get out of the business of subsidizing businesses.

22-Jan-07. A double standard wins race. Lethbridge Herald, A6.

In this editorial, the author discusses the $190-million of financial support provided by the provincial government to Alberta’s horse racing industry. As the Alberta Liberals noted this week, there does not appear to be any evidence that Alberta’s Racing Renewal Strategy is actually renewing the racing industry. The editorialist questions why the Conservative government, a staunch advocate of an open market and competitive forces, has not allowed horse racing to compete on its own for the entertainment and gaming dollars of Albeta.

19-Jan-07. Horsemen’s wages blasted. Edmonton Sun, 5.

On the second day of a campaign urging the Alberta government to stop funding the horseracing industry, Liberal MLA Maurice Tougas attacked the $200,000 salaries of the agency’s chairman and the president. The province entered into a 10-year deal with the industry in 2005 that provides it with 51% of the proceeds of race track slot machine revenue. Horse Racing Alberta chairman Dr. David Reid contends the province created a model agreement that is the envy of Canada to save the horse-racing industry from the expansion of casino and video lottery terminal (VLT) gambling.

18-Jan-07. Liberals want horse racing subsidy phased out. Lethbridge Herald, A5.

Maurice Tougas, the Alberta Liberal gaming critic, is called on Premier Ed Stelmach to phase out the subsidy given to Horse Racing Alberta (HRA). HRA has received more than $136-million in slot machine revenue since 2002 to revive the industry which was facing stiff competition from casinos and VLTs. Max Gibb, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Turf Club said the deal was necessary to revive live horse racing and continues to be needed in order to continue live horse racing in Lethbridge. Tougas point out that pubic attendance at horse racing events at Whoop-Up Downs in Lethbridge in 2005 was 63,860, down from 66,363 the year before.