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Colorado VLT Supporters to Meet Resistance4 July 2003COLORADO – As reported by the Denver Post Business: “A group that is promoting the installation of video lottery terminals in Colorado's five racetracks as a way to boost tourism has gathered nearly enough signatures to get the issue on November's statewide ballot. “Meanwhile, a diverse group of opponents is girding for battle. Casinos, historic preservationists and greyhound groups are uniting to fight the proposal that would put 500 video gaming machines in each of the state's racetracks. “…`We are very confident we will be on the ballot in November, and we are excited because it's important to the Colorado economy,’ said David Kinney, a political consultant who is pushing the signature drive, estimating his group is harvesting 15,000 signatures a week, and expect to turn in nearly double the number needed to get on the ballot. “…The initiative is funded by Aurora-based Wembley USA, a subsidiary of Wembley PLC, a British firm that owns four racetracks in Colorado. “The casino industry has three proposed initiatives that would ask voters in November to ban the video lottery machines. The casino industry has not started to gather signatures. However, officials are organizing a campaign similar to those deployed to defeat efforts by 25 towns and six counties that have attempted to expand gaming in Colorado since limited-stakes casinos were approved in 1991. “Casino owners are worried about the impact VLTs at tracks in Aurora, Commerce City, Loveland, Colorado Springs and Pueblo would have on their businesses. VLTs look like slot machines but pay out with lotterylike tickets instead of coins…” |