Like betting on the wrong horse that turns out to be a winner, Canterbury Park has finally caught a break.
The Shakopee horse palace has teamed up with the Mystic Lake folks in an historic 10-year agreement, with the casino pumping millions of dollars into Canterbury’s purse structure in return for Canterbury dropping its attempts to put casino-style games at its venue. The two longtime rivals have agreed to join forces to fight any other entity that wants to build a casino.
It’s a win for the casino, which was spending that much cash trying to influence lawmakers to continue their gambling monopoly. It’s a win for Canterbury, which can offer more prize money, which attracts better and more horses, which boosts the state’s horse and agricultural industries.
Yet the agreement has been criticized by some legislators.
What? The same legislators that have denied Canterbury’s attempts to build a racino for the last decade?
The same lawmakers who dinked around with the Minnesota Vikings stadium issue for 10 years before recently acting?
It took a threat of moving for the Vikings to be heard. Canterbury didn’t have that luxury.
So instead of the state profiting from Canterbury’s increased revenues, there now will be zero extra profit.
Shrewd negotiating.
Much like the Vikings, Canterbury Park tried to play by the rules, doing everything within its power to increase revenue streams and share its profits with the state. Yet lawmakers couldn’t agree on this no-brainer.
So Canterbury did what it had to do to survive.
Good for those folks. They fought for some 10 years and got nowhere. If the racino couldn’t pass this session, given the state’s dire financial situation, it was likely never going to happen.
This agreement with Mystic Lake ensures that Canterbury will have a viable product for the next decade, that horse owners will make a little extra cash on race day, and breeders can confidently expand their business, knowing that young horses will have a place to run.
The state could have helped that cause. Instead, they fiddled around until it was too late.
Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353, e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com, check out his local sports blog at www.mankatofreepress.com or follow his Twitter feed @ChadCourrier.
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June 8, 2012
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