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No Slot
Machines for Baseball Owners
The
rules in baseball are very clear – no
club owner can own or operate a slot
machine casino. However, there do seem
to be some ways around it. For example,
the Detroit Tigers owner Michael Ilitch
has many holdings in Detroit; all under
the family’s various names. However, one
of their holdings is a slot machine
casino. Michael’s name is not on the
casino, and his wife, Marian’s name is
not on the baseball team. So although it
seems a little sneaky, MLB has
sanctioned it.
Steve
Swindal and Bob Nutting are both
involved in baseball and are looking to
get into slot machines. Swindal is a
managing general partner of the Yankees
and Nutting is COB of the Pittsburgh
Pirates. Nutting bought the Seven
Springs Mountain Resort in western PA
earlier this year, and wanted to create
a casino with 500 slot machines at a ski
resort. However, he has decided not to
continue with the idea since baseball
and slot machines cannot mix. “We
withdrew the application for slot
machines because the rules in baseball
are very clear,” Nutting said. “Rather
than try to come up with a structure
that maybe would have subverted the
intent, we thought it was appropriate to
respect the intent of the rule and
withdrew.”
Swindal is a partner in Excelsior Racing
Associates which has just gotten the
recommendation to take over NY State’s
racing franchise. This in itself is not
a big deal, but the racetracks are
viable slot machine locations. The
Aqueduct is looking to bring in slot
machines, as are Belmont and Saratoga.
Aqueduct has 4,500 slot machines that
are in but not running yet. Commissioner
Bud Selig has been informed as to
Swindal’s dealing with the racetracks
and the slot machines.
Selig
knew about the slot machines, and told
Swindal to keep him informed as to what
was going on, for if Excelsior wins the
bid, there could be a problem.
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