A serious question

[Tim_T]

You missed by a mile....AGAIN. My pastor doesn't preach about casinoes, horse races, and lotteries; he preaches from the Bible. I didn't say what I did about arrest records to convince you one way or the other. I said it because it is the truth. Because you don't have access to the same information that I have doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

You must be having a tough time because you sure are grinding your teeth a lot. Is your face also turning red? I'm not wasting anymore of my time on this thread.

I don't have access to the same records as you? I find that hard to beleive since every single arresst made in these United States (of which I am assuming Alabama is still a member of) is public record. I know from everything I have seen this spike in crime when casinos are built simply doesn't exist. There was not suddenly a spike in crime because they let southern Indiana have some casinos.

Not real sure I understand the drivel at the end of your post, but okay!

[psprowler]

I work about 10 miles from the casino in French LIck. I remember when it was being voted on, how much money and jobs it was going to bring in, blah blah. Also heard from those who opposed how much crime and stuff it would bring. Just from personal observation it really did neither. The kids in the school corporation get their books paid for, but there are still plenty of unpaved roads in Orange County. There are some new businesses but on the flip side every piece of land that is not a business is for sale. The town got a Denny's, and soon a Mcdonald's. But there still ain't much worth doing in French Lick these days......

[Tim_T]

I work about 10 miles from the casino in French LIck. I remember when it was being voted on, how much money and jobs it was going to bring in, blah blah. Also heard from those who opposed how much crime and stuff it would bring. Just from personal observation it really did neither. The kids in the school corporation get their books paid for, but there are still plenty of unpaved roads in Orange County. There are some new businesses but on the flip side every piece of land that is not a business is for sale. The town got a Denny's, and soon a Mcdonald's. But there still ain't much worth doing in French Lick these days......

I don't understand Prowler, either it helped or it didn't. You state that it didn't help, and then follow it up with kids getting free text books and new business moving into town. That sounds like improvement to me. Also, the casino wasn't there to employ anyone before, and now it is there and people have to work there. Also, McDonalds and Denny's hire people as well. I would say that created some jobs didn't it? Maybe they are not high paying jobs, but it still means people in the work force, which would seem like an improvement.

[psprowler]

Yeah I wasn't being real clear there Tim. I guess what I was trying to say was that the people that were for the casino hyped it up as the great savior and those who were opposed hyped it as the coming of Satan. It has helped, but in my opinion not to the extent it was advertised. There are still plenty of people in French Lick and surrounding areas that don't have jobs, but a lot of that isn't the casinos fault. People have to want to work. Overall though bottom line is it has helped more than it hurt. I just remember all the hype surrounding the vote and French Lick and Orange County seem just as poor now as it did then.

[Chubminnow]

Churchill has lost money EVERY live fall meet for the past 6 years and if you took out Oaks and Derby Day handle would have lost in the spring meet as well over 6 years.

I gues what you say might be true...I don't know for sure. as far as "IF's" are concerned...IF it wasn't for the Derby and Oaks they would have showed a lost...., "IF" so-n-so didn't get into foul trouble, "IF" Leroy would have hit his foul shots, "IF" my aunt had an apple sack she would have been my uncle, etc...I guess the FACT is they come out ok in the spring. When was the last time the Breeders Cup was at Churchill? They didn't make money in the fall of that year? hmmm...That surprises me...please give me a link to where you're getting your information from, I'd like to read it.

I also guess what you say is true about the other tracks they own is what's helping to keep them afloat, I don't know...I haven't dug into it...and guess I don't care enough to dig into it to find out.

More money, more money, more money....what good is more money? I still think some group of shiny suit politicians will find more ways to spend more money...it's been said here before on other threads, live within your means...same thing applies for every aspect of life where money is concerned.

I tend to think another reason why the horse racing industry is hurting is because it's not as popular amongst the younger generation of today as it was with the younger generation of yesterday. To many Ipod's, Ipad's, facebook, social networking, cars, motorcycles, ATV's, CD's, MP3's. DVD's, etc...plenty of things to occupy a young persons mind now days compared to the days of yesterday. I only hear of a select few youngin's who get together to go to Churchill Downs...but I do hear about some of them getting together every now and then and hitting a casino. Two things that have helped Churchill's spring meet are their Friday afternoon Happy Hour thing they have and now night racing under the lights...come to think of it I have heard of some younger folks going to the track for these events...I don't know how much they're wagering but I do know they hit the track more because of these two things.

[artcarney_agr]

I work about 10 miles from the casino in French LIck. I remember when it was being voted on, how much money and jobs it was going to bring in, blah blah. Also heard from those who opposed how much crime and stuff it would bring. Just from personal observation it really did neither. The kids in the school corporation get their books paid for, but there are still plenty of unpaved roads in Orange County. There are some new businesses but on the flip side every piece of land that is not a business is for sale. The town got a Denny's, and soon a Mcdonald's. But there still ain't much worth doing in French Lick these days......

If only you could see the County through the County Highway Department Superintendent's eyes.......that County's roads have come a LONG way since that casino opened up. You can't judge a County's quality of roads by how many miles have been paved........that's like judging a house by the color of it's paint.

These come to mind as a result of the casino coming into town:
West Baden renovation - 8th Wonder of the World
Big Splash Indoor Water Park
West Baden Indoor Go-Carts
Indiana Railway Museum and Scenic Railroad Trips (I think the City or County owns this now)

[RoadToad]

To answer your question, Chub, the BC has been at Churchill the past two years in a row, and it has been hosted there more than any other track, because CD does a better job than anybody else, and gets better attendance. But if you look at the rest of the meet, there are always small fields, running for small purses compared to other tracks, because the tracks in Ohio, Delaware, even Indiana and West Virginia, all have casinos, or at least some form of gaming, on the grounds, and some of the money from those goes directly into the purses. Because of this, Kentucky's signature industry is losing money, LOTS of money, to other states.

[psprowler]

If only you could see the County through the County Highway Department Superintendent's eyes.......that County's roads have come a LONG way since that casino opened up. You can't judge a County's quality of roads by how many miles have been paved........that's like judging a house by the color of it's paint.

These come to mind as a result of the casino coming into town:
West Baden renovation - 8th Wonder of the World
Big Splash Indoor Water Park
West Baden Indoor Go-Carts
Indiana Railway Museum and Scenic Railroad Trips (I think the City or County owns this now)

What do you judge the quality of roads by out of curiosity?

The Indoor Water Park and Go-Carts are nice now, but I'd be surprised if they are still open 5 years from now. If they are I'll be the first one on here to say I was wrong on that one.

Orange County still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state and continually jockeys for the top spot for poorest county in the state. That's all I'm saying. The casino was touted to be the solution. I'm not denying it hasn't helped some.

[artcarney_agr]

What do you judge the quality of roads by out of curiosity?

Bridges, culverts, guardrail, and all the other stuff that no one pays attention to.

When is the last time you got out of your car and looked underneath the bridge you're driving over? You would be scared to death if you looked at some them. I've been involved with several bridge replacement projects in Orange County...you could say some of that casino money has kept me working; sames goes for Harrison County and some of their County funded bridges...that one that just went in at Cave Country Canoes in Milltown was one of ours, I don't know of any other County that could have bought such a bridge without casino dollars.

[psprowler]

Point taken - Have seen some bridge work being done on some of the highways in Orange County.

I grew up in Harrison/Crawford County and seems like a lot more visible road improvements (paving) took place with the casino money garnered from Caesar's/Horseshoe.

The bridge in Milltown was about 50 years overdue! I still stop before crossing like it's still only one lane - old habits die hard.

[artcarney_agr]

The bridge in Milltown was about 50 years overdue! I still stop before crossing like it's still only one lane - old habits die hard.

Yes it was! Have you ever met the local guy they call "Hammer"? He was extremely excited about the sidewalk! Did you ever jump off the old bridge?

[psprowler]

Not familiar with Hammer but might recognize him and not know that was his name.

Jumped off the bridge all the time - top rail used to be called the budweiser rail because that's what was spraypainted on it. Those were the days........