Bill would allow simulcasting to continue in Lincoln with or without live meet

LINCOLN, NE - May 10, 2011 — The Legislature advanced a bill Monday that could allow the Lincoln horse track to have simulcast races but contract with another Nebraska track to do the live racing required by law.

The bill (LB256), introduced by Sen. Russ Karpisek of Wilber, also clarifies state racing commissioners' terms.

The bill survived an attempt by Omaha Sen. Beau McCoy to require all tracks to have at least one day of live racing, even if it contracted with another track for the rest.

Lincoln, which is losing the track at the former State Fair Park because the land is becoming the University of Nebraska Innovation Campus, would be the only track allowed to contract all its races. After 15 years, the Lincoln track would again be required to have live racing.

Attorney General Jon Bruning said in an opinion it was questionable whether the Lincoln track would qualify as a legal track if it did not have any live racing.

"The attorney general can't say one way or another whether this is constitutional or not," Karpisek said.

The Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association is leasing the current track from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln through 2012. This year's 32-day live meet opens Friday.

Extended live meets also were scheduled this year at Fonner Park in Grand Island and Columbus Race Park. Horsemen's Park in Omaha (four days) and Atokad Downs in South Sioux City (one day) have short meets to fulfill their legal obligation to offer year-round simulcast wagering.

Karpisek said live racing is more profitable at some tracks and less profitable at others.

Omaha Sen. Jeremy Nordquist said it was going to take the Lincoln track time to get financing for a new track and get it ready for racing, and the amended bill would give it that time.

Horsemen hope to build a mile-long track in Lincoln to replace the current five-eighths-mile oval.

Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh said the horse racing industry employs thousands of people in the state, when considering all the possible effects.

"I don't want to stand here and say there's no hope for this industry, but it would be helpful if we stopped putting impediments in the way of this industry as well," Lautenbaugh said.

The bill advanced to final reading on a voice vote.