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Detroit Casinos Oppose Track Slots

DETROIT -- The Greektown, MGM Grand and MotorCity casinos are considering petitioning for a November 2004 vote on plans to allow slot machines at horse tracks.

"They should have to do the same thing we had to do," said Vivian Carpenter, a member of the board of directors of MotorCity Casino. "We were told we had to get the vote of the people. They should be forced to, too."

Carpenter said polls show a majority of state voters disapprove of expanded gambling at the tracks.

The ballot measure could be in the form of a constitutional amendment, which the Legislature could not change, or an initiative, which the Legislature could alter.

The Detroit casinos say their revenue stream is threatened by legislation that has passed the House and is sitting in a Senate committee.

It would allow the state's seven racetracks to have 500 to 2,000 video lottery terminals, or slot machines, tied into the state lottery system. It also would allow Internet gambling and phone-in gambling, as well as off-track betting parlors.

Copyright © Las Vegas Sun. Inc. Republished with permission.

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