Slot Machine Bid Fails - Again

When they made their bid to get the slot machines in Anne Arundel County, Laurel Racing Association forgot a very minor detail – they forgot to include the $28.5 million dollars that was supposed to accompany their application. Not really, they chose not to pay the upfront payment by the February 2nd deadline, and thus their slot machine bid was not considered by the state.

So Laurel Racing took it to the courts. They said that it was unconstitutional for the state to ask for the payment when they could not guarantee that they would get the bid. They said that there was nothing in the wording that said that if they did not get the bid that they would get their money back, and that there was no need for the state to require that of them.

The judge however, ruled with the state. He said that the rules were clear – if you wanted the slot machines you would put in the application with the money, and then you would be considered. The state says that they never had any intent on keeping the money that was given to them by any of the companies applying for the slot machine license if they did not get it.

However, they say that Laurel Racing originally told them that they were not paying the slot machine fee because of market conditions. They say that since then they have changed their tune as to why they were not paying it. However, it doesn’t matter why they aren’t paying it – because they aren’t getting another shot at those slot machines.

 

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