Tracks try to rein in tribes

By Riverside Press Enterprise
SACRAMENTO - Horse racing interests on Tuesday called for changes to tribal-gaming compacts before the Legislature, signaling a more public alliance between industry officials and the union critics who have led the opposition to the agreements.

Racetrack operators and union employees said the deals between Gov. Schwarzenegger and five Southern California tribes -- four of them in the Inland area -- would financially ruin the tracks by drawing more gamblers to tribal casinos and away from the tracks.

The gaming agreements would allow more than 20,000 new slot machines at tribal casinos in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. California law prohibits slot machines at racetracks.

"There are families of 50,000 workers who depend on this industry for their livelihoods. These workers work so hard to prepare these horses for racing," Darrell Haire, of the jockeys union, said at a Capitol news conference. "We need help."

That help could include eliminating parts of the compacts that restrict attempts to expand gaming elsewhere in the future, and the possibility of creating a special state fund to help the horse racing industry.

Track operators also did not rule out that they may try again someday to get voter approval for slot machines at racetracks. Voters rejected a previous attempt in 2004.

"We want to pursue all things," said Rick Baedeker, senior vice president of Hollywood Park/Bay Meadows.

The renegotiated compacts cover the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near Highland, the Pechanga Band of Luiseņo Indians near Temecula and the Sycuan band in San Diego County.

After emerging late in last year's legislative session, the agreements stalled in the Assembly due to heavy opposition from organized labor, which complained that the pacts provided too little protection for casino workers. Racetrack opposition was much more muted.

But Tuesday, racetrack operators and members of the hotel and restaurant workers union appeared together at the news conference to air their concerns about the compacts.

Neither the governor's office nor the participating tribes showed any sign Tuesday of being open to changing the deals. They would earn the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually and fulfill the tribes' goals to expand.

"We made the best possible deal for the state," said Aaron McLear, the governor's spokesman. He said administration officials have been talking with the horse racing industry about how the state could help.

Anthony Miranda, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, said he believes horse racing leaders are exaggerating the impact of tribal gaming on their bottom line.

Of the financial struggles of racetracks, Miranda said, "I don't think it's just attributable to one segment of the gaming industry in California."

Tribal leaders also note that voters twice have approved casinos on tribal lands, while overwhelmingly rejecting Prop. 68, the 2004 measure that would have allowed slot machines at specific card clubs and racetracks.