Thoroughbred racing in the South Side

On Friday, a real estate developer from Beaver County filed an application with the state… On Friday, a real estate developer from Beaver County filed an application with the state Horse Racing Commission for a license to operate a thoroughbred racetrack, the last of four such licenses available in Pennsylvania.

Charles J. Betters wants to open a racetrack on 635 wooded acres bordering the South Side. If Gov. Ed Rendell gets his way and legalizes slot machines at racetracks in the state, Betters wants to add those, as well.

The three other licenses are already awarded – there is a track in Philadelphia and one in Dauphin County, the county Harrisburg is in. The third license has been awarded to a subsidiary of Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort just south of Erie.

Competition for the last license is fierce. Two Philadelphia-area interests are seeking it, as is one near Pittsburgh’s airport and one near South Versailles.

The license should go to Betters. A racetrack in the middle of Pittsburgh would be a great boon to the economy and would add to the city’s destination value. Not everyone is interested in the bar and club scene – certainly not Pittsburgh’s substantial elderly population. A gambling venue might be just the thing to coax them out.

Not only would the racetrack bring jobs and people to the area, it would bring business to local spots. Winners would need somewhere to celebrate – why not pour their winnings back into the city? Losers, if they still have two nickels to rub together and a shirt on their backs, will need somewhere to drown their sorrows.

Philadelphia doesn’t need to hog any more of the limited racing action. Who knows why Erie got a license? And what does Pennsyl-tucky – sorry, central Pennsylvania – need a track for? They can race their horses in their backyards. Pittsburgh deserves this license.

Gambling has always been a touchy subject for any state. Of course it can attract less-than-savory clientele, but so do bars and those abound. It would be a great idea for the state to allow slot machines at racetracks. It can only mean more revenue for our cash-strapped state. Slots have proven profitable at racetracks in neighboring Delaware and West Virginia.

As usual, Pennsylvania’s laws are a bit convoluted on this issue. Much like our liquor laws, a law that only allows four thoroughbred racetracks in a state with our geography and population is quite backward. Perhaps while Rendell is working to get those slot machines, he could put in a good word for more venues for them.