Negotiations with the province on preserving horse racing in Windsor-Essex have hit a snag.
Essex County Warden Tom Bain told reporters Thursday afternoon in South Woodslee that negotiations between the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) have stalled. The province is in the process of completing new deals with racetracks across Ontario, but Bain said LRHA, which operates Leamington Raceway, is getting the short end of the riding crop.
"We're very disappointed," said Bain, also the mayor of Lakeshore and a horse racing enthusiast. "You've got 2,000 jobs in this area that are at stake as far as it goes. We saw when Windsor Raceway closed down what happened."
According to a news release, the LHRA participated in a series of discussions on Tuesday with the OLG concerning the return of slots to some Ontario racetracks. While some tracks were given the option of bringing slots back, LHRA was not. Bain blamed the stalling of negotiations on what he believed is a lack of understanding between the Ontario PC government and the OLG, and he is calling on Queens Park to keep the promise the government made during the election campaign.
The main issue appears to be the size of the purse for racers at Leamington Raceway, which LHRA president Mark Williams said is significant lower than those at other Ontario racetracks.
"All we want is fairness," said Williams. "It costs every bit as much for me, my folks and all of the people I represent to train a horse down here, as it does for the folks that are racing up closer to Toronto."
Bain said that the season at Leamington Raceway has been enormously successful, with standing-room only crowds on weekends throughout the season, but he doesn't understand why that success has not translated into support from the Ontario government.
Former Unifor Local 444 head Ken Lewenza Sr. was also on hand for the news conference. He said his main goal is to hold Premier Doug Ford and the PC government to its word.
"Today, we're talking about stability," said Lewenza. "I'm here to remind Mr. Ford that when the Conservatives were in opposition, they were very, very critical of how the Liberal government treated the horsing industry. The reality is, we've got to keep his feet to the fire."
Despite the negativity concerning the negotiations, LHRA said they are pressing on with the hopes of getting a fair agreement. Williams said they are hoping to set up meetings in Toronto with Finance Minister Vic Fideli and the premier.