Is There a Future for Harness Racing?

Harness racing was once considered the epitome of racing – and had a very popular following. However, as the years have gone on, it has become more of an obsolete sport instead. Those that still run harness racing tracks are constantly looking for ways of increasing their revenue as less people come to the park to watch the sport.

Instead, as many tracks do, they turn to slot machines to help boost revenue. People may not come to see the horses, but they will come to see the slots. However, in some cases adding the slot machines is not as easy as it sounds.

For instance, the Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville is one of those fighting the good fight. Amidst declining revenues, they would like to see slot machines added to help them out some, and it seemed like they might get their wish. Massachusetts started talking about bringing in slot machines and casinos, and they thought for sure this would be their break.

The casino developers had come to see them, people like Donald Trump coming in to see what they might be able to do there. However, because of their proximity to Mashpee Wampanoag territory – no one is taking the hook. The state and the tribe are both assuming that the tribe will become a major player in the slot machine industry, so they don’t want to put too many of their eggs in Plainville’s basket.

However, the owner of the track, Gary Piontkowski, has gotten some state legislators on his side, and the governor’s plan to bring in a casino failed. Piontkowski is bound and determined that if there is going to be slot machines in his state, they are going to be at his track, or they won’t be in the state.

 

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