slots
Indiana Downs offers writer a real example of racino atmosphere
As the debate over bringing slot machines to Kentucky racetracks came to a boil earlier this year, horsemen fought hard for the constitutional amendment that would allow the change.
“Racinos” (racetracks coupled with casino gambling in the form of slot machines or table games) give racetracks a portion of the money spent at the casino games at the track, a practice that has given a jolt of life to racing in New York, Pennsylvania and Indiana. Tracks use the revenue to boost their purses, which attracts more horses and delivers bigger payouts to breeders of state-bred winners, making the state breeding industry more robust. Currently, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana allow slots at their tracks and can offer bigger purses as a result — a trend that is rapidly drawing Thoroughbreds out of Kentucky, according to numerous spokespeople in the horse industry.
Opponents of the amendment brought up moral concerns about furthering gambling in the state and its effects on local communities, sighting doubts over the racing industry’s need for the extra revenue.
Inside the Thoroughbred world, a few racing purists voiced disappointment that installing slot machines in grandstands was “a necessary evil,” quietly expressing concern that they might erode the public perception of the sport.
As a racing purist myself, I had no doubt about the very public struggles that are plaguing Kentucky’s Thoroughbred industry. I wondered, however, what unquantifiable costs might be attached to having slot machines in racetracks. Having never actually been to a racino before, it was easy to imagine smoky, dark pockets of the track with dinging machines, driving away all but the compulsive gambling types from the rail. I wondered if families would still come to the track. I wondered how the quality of racing would be, even with higher purses.
On a recent trip to Indiana Downs, I had a chance to see what a racino can look like in practice.
While visiting the track’s website before the trip, I saw almost no mention of the slots at all. In fact, I began to wonder if they were still on-site.
“Racing customers and gambling customers, in general are different,” said Jonathan Schuster, general manager of Indiana Downs. “What we do here is market it more as an experience, as an enhancement to one another … we don’t get into cross-promotions because they’re so vastly different.”
As it turns out, the Indiana Grand Casino is in a separate building behind the grandstand, but it is connected on the second floor. Schuster said that while there are no official numbers on the percentage of the audience that attends both the casino and the track, he thinks there is slightly more traffic from the slots to the racetrack than vice versa.
Throughout the 12-race card, the interior of the grandstand was mostly full with several birthday and retirement parties, while a healthy crowd gathered on the rail. A good portion of the audience was made up of families that were taking advantage of the playground near the stands and the family-friendly, non-smoking simulcast area with an attached arcade. Indiana Downs’ free admission has always made a day at the races affordable for people with several small children, and security is posted at all casino entrances to prevent those under 21 from wandering in.
Although the construction of the casino moved the paddock farther down the rail from the wire than it had been before the slots moved in, most of the crowd migrated back and forth to get a close-up look of the field.
Schuster reported that purses are about triple what they were before slots, which has helped fill race cards for both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse races. While the typical card doesn’t include stakes races, there were many notable stallion names among the entries, demonstrating a quality horse. Many of those pedigrees were full of Kentucky blood — which came in droves, as foal numbers doubled after slots became legal in 2007.
Slots revenue for the past fiscal year was more than $26.7 million, according to the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, just under $13.8 million of which went toward purses.
“There’s no doubt that the horsemen were the clear winners in the racino and slots [issue],” said Schuster.
Indiana Downs is currently in bankruptcy, due to the cost of the gaming license required for the casino. Although Schuster said he doesn’t know the details of the track’s finances, the operation is sustainable.
Ultimately, the proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed casino gaming in Kentucky was struck down by a 21-16 Senate vote in February. While Lexington racegoers might observe that this racino looks and feels very little like our beloved Keeneland with its camera crews and bow-tied guests, 10-year-old Indiana Downs doesn’t seem to be trying to become Keeneland, or Churchill Downs, or any of the century-old, huge tracks in America. Instead, it seems to want to be a place where real race fans can gather and enjoy the sport — and they do.