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Opinion More Horses Galloping up to the Indiana's Trough19 November 2002INDIANA -- As reported by the Indianapolis Star: ``The Indiana horse track business is like the kid who grows up, but never gets a place of his own. ``…In the case of Indiana's horse tracks, the role of the patient parents gets played by the state government of Indiana. ``Since Hoosier Park opened in Anderson eight years ago, Indiana has been funneling tax money to push the track toward profitability. `` The source of that cash: admissions taxes collected at the state's 10 riverboat casinos. And it's a nice piece of change. The 65 cents diverted to the state's horse racing business from each riverboat gambler amounted to $26.8 million last year. For eight years, Hoosier Park has been the sole beneficiary of this taxpayer largesse. ``…No longer. Now there's a second kid living in the garage who needs help. ``Hoosier Park soon will have to share the riverboat take with Indiana Downs, a competing track slated to open next month near Shelbyville. ``Last year, a total 161,531 people walked through the turnstiles at Hoosier Park. ``…Indiana government seems to approach horse racing with a lot more enthusiasm than the general public does. ``But the policy is in place for the foreseeable future, if not forever…" |