Home stretch for Greyhound Park?

POST FALLS - If the Idaho Legislature bans instant horse racing machines this year, the Greyhound Park and Event Center manager told lawmakers, he may have to close the business.

"Maybe not immediately, but it certainly is going to kill us," said Doug Okuniewicz, after a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday. "And it's going to kill Les Bois and it's going to kill live horse racing."

Okuniewicz testified against S1011, proposed legislation that was introduced by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. If the bill passes, it would repeal legislation that was passed in 2013, which authorized "video historic racing machines" in Idaho.

At the time the authorizing language was being passed, some lawmakers said they were led to believe the machines would not resemble video slot machines. Many have now said they feel "duped."

The machines have been installed in three locations in Idaho - including 35 machines at the Greyhound Park last year - and now four Idaho Indian tribes have called on the state of Idaho to ban the machines, which they say resemble video slot machines.

"I don't think the statement that was made that they are going to close because of this legislation is a fair statement," said Helo Hancock, legislative director for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. "I don't think it's fair to place all the blame on the Legislature."

Hancock said the owners of the Greyhound Park took a business risk on controversial gaming machines, and now the legality of the machines have been called into question.

Hancock said that's just business.

Okuniewicz said the Greyhound Park has been operating at a loss for the last 10 years waiting for an opportunity like historic horse racing to come along and keep the industry alive.

He said anywhere from 4.5 percent to 15 percent of the proceeds from the machines is paid to the horse racing industry to increase purses in live racing events.

Without the revenue from those machines, Okuniewicz said the industry would likely wither.

"If the bill passes, I don't think we would get another bite at the apple," he said, explaining it would be difficult to propose anything that would be considered expansion of gaming in Idaho.

The Greyhound Park was opened in the late 1980s for live dog racing, but after a series of controversial actions at the track, the Legislature banned dog racing in Idaho.

Okuniewicz said even after dog racing was banned, the park stayed afloat with simulcast dog and horse racing revenues. But once people could bet on horse races over the Internet and other venues, it has been difficult to make Greyhound Park work.

After Monday's hearing, Okuniewicz was encouraged by all of the support for the machines. He said about half the people agreed to testify and the rest will testify at a continuation of the hearing on Wednesday.

"I would say about 90 percent of the people testifying (Monday) were on our side," he said. "I think it is going to be close, but this is just the first step in a five-step process."

Hancock said he expects a lot of testimony supporting the Tribe's position on Wednesday. He said lawmakers were trying to get through the key testimony on Monday.

"There were definitely lots of folks in attendance," Hancock said. "But you never know what will happen until the vote comes."