88% VOTE YES FOR RACETRACK 'SLOTS'

OSOYOOS TIMES (June 21, 2006)By Julie TurnerOsoyoos Times http://www.osoyoostimes.com/pMOT/more.php?id=435_0_1_0_M14

Osoyoos voters have overwhelmingly supported the plebiscite to allow slot machines and other gambling to help save the Desert Park horse race track.In a turnout of 1,379 voters at the polls Saturday and the June 7 advance poll, just over 88 per cent answered ‘yes’ to the question: “Are you in favour of electronic gaming devices, entertainment and horse racing at Desert Park?” That vote paves the way for Rocky Mountain Turf Club (RMTC) and the Town of Osyoos to forward a business case for the ‘racino’ to the B.C. Lottery Corporation.The Corporation will assess the licence application, based on the casino market, and forward it to the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch in Victoria.A group gathered at the Garage Gallery and Coffee Company Saturday evening to await the results, which came in just before 9 p.m. Councillor Allan Carswell, a founding member of Friends of Desert Park, said the turnout and percentage of ‘yes’ votes was satisfying.“It certainly gives Council a clear mandate to move forward with this project along with Rocky Mountain Turf Club. There is still a lot of work ahead before we see horses running on the track again, but the community has given Desert Park a future with this result Gibb said the vote sends a strong message to the Lottery Corporation and he hopes to have the “fine details” worked out within a month. Gibb said he will meet soon with the organizations and volunteers, and with Town Council, to move forward with the Lottery Corporation and the provincial government.“I see the Town of Osoyoos and Rocky Mountain Turf Club as partners in this venture,” he said. He added he had had a “cordial discussion” with the Osoyoos Indian Band, which has its own casino application in the works, and said he will continue to meet and look at ways to work with them. The Rocky Mountain Turf Club proposal to operate Desert Park includes the return of live horse racing and equestrian events, as well as other special events and the addition of 100 video lottery terminals to help fund the facility. Gibb estimated approximately 40 jobs would be created and between $300,000 and $500,000 in revenue would be returned to the municipality from the province as a result of the gaming operation.