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Thursday, March 27, 2008

Kentucky governor gives up on casino proposal

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, a Democrat who ran last year on a platform of casinos at racetracks, including those in rural areas, said today that he has abandoned the idea at least until 2010, the next opportunity to put constitutional amendments on the state ballot. The idea was hampered by early disagreements over details, never got the 60 votes needed to pass the 100-member state House, and had poor prospects in the Senate.

"Beshear said he hasn’t thought about another, likely controversial option to expand gambling by executive order to allow slots at racetracks," The Courier-Journal reports. "That option hasn’t been seriously discussed in recent years but was mentioned previously as a possible way to expand gambling through the Kentucky Lottery."

Tracks want casinos to compete with those in adjoining states, and the state's budget crisis prompted various interest groups to support the idea, but their involvement also came too late to have much effect. (Read more)

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