{"id":126066,"date":"2020-02-05T06:33:02","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T14:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=126066"},"modified":"2020-02-05T17:44:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T01:44:45","slug":"maryland-lawmakers-launch-375m-push-to-keep-preakness-in-baltimore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/maryland-lawmakers-launch-375m-push-to-keep-preakness-in-baltimore\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Lawmakers Launch $375 Million Push to Keep Preakness in Baltimore"},"content":{"rendered":"

A legislative effort is underway in Maryland to keep the Preakness at Pimlico.<\/p>\n

\"Preakness\"
War of Will winning the Preakness Stakes on May 18, 2019 at the Pimlico Race Course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A bill introduced in Annapolis Monday would earmark $375 million funded by state bonds to rebuild Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and Laurel Park, the state\u2019s two biggest racetracks. It will also settle a longstanding dispute between the state and the tracks\u2019 owner, the Stronarch Group (TSG).<\/p>\n

TSG had threatened to move the second jewel in racing\u2019s Triple Crown to Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County. That’s arguably in violation of a 1987 state law which dictates that the Preakness can only be moved from Pimlico \u201cas a result of a disaster or emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city of Baltimore has argued that any \u201cdisaster\u201d at Pimlico was of TSG\u2019s own making, because it had under-invested in the track, diverting most of the state aid it had received for track improvements into Laurel Park.<\/p>\n

In a lawsuit filed against TSG last May, the city sought to seize control of Pimlico, arguing that the alleged neglect of the track was putting race-goers at risk because it was in much need of structural renovation.<\/p>\n

Tradition Preserved<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The new legislation is based on an agreement thrashed out between the two parties in October that will see at least $180 million go to making improvements at Pimlico, and $155 million to Laurel Park.<\/p>\n

If enacted, Pimlico\u2019s crumbling grandstand and clubhouse will be demolished to make way for a new clubhouse, while the track will be rotated 30 degrees to create land to be sold to private developers.<\/p>\n

The new clubhouse will double as a multipurpose facility for the community, while temporary seating will be added to accommodate the 100,000 race-goers the venue attracts each year.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s bill introduction is a critical step forward for Baltimore, as it preserves the great tradition of the Preakness at Pimlico and signals the commitment of significant investment in the Park Heights community,” Baltimore\u2019s Democratic Mayor Jack Young told The Baltimore Sun.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No Drain on Education <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Under the terms of the October agreement, the state would have contributed $17 million a year in payments from the state\u2019s Casino Fund \u2013 controversially, because this included money intended for Maryland\u2019s Education Trust Fund. The new bill proposes the payments are drawn from the Lottery Fund instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal here is to save the Preakness,\u201d State Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard County), who sponsored the bill, told the Sun. \u201cIt\u2019s to help surrounding neighborhoods. It\u2019s to make Laurel a viable racing venue for the long term. It\u2019s to do so in a fiscally responsible way, where we use no funds that would have ever been programmed for education.\u201d<\/p>\n

The famous thoroughbred race has been held at the Pimlico Race Course since its inception in 1873 \u2013 almost. It moved to The Bronx and then Coney Island from 1890 to 1918, before returning to its spiritual home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A legislative effort is underway in Maryland to keep the Preakness at Pimlico. A bill introduced in Annapolis Monday would earmark $375 million funded by state bonds to rebuild Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and Laurel Park, the state\u2019s two biggest racetracks. It will also settle a longstanding dispute between the state and the tracks\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":126067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14577,13],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMaryland Lawmakers Launch $375M Push to Keep Preakness in Baltimore<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Preakness Stakes will not have to move away from the Pimlico Race Course if a new bill passes in the Maryland legislature.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maryland Lawmakers Launch $375M Push to Keep Preakness in Baltimore\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Preakness Stakes will not have to move away from the Pimlico Race Course if a new bill passes in the Maryland legislature.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/maryland-lawmakers-launch-375m-push-to-keep-preakness-in-baltimore\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-02-05T14:33:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-02-06T01:44:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/preakness.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philip Conneller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@casinoorgphilc\" 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