Alabama senators want probe of race course’s ties to service

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 12:34 p.m.

The senators hand-delivered a letter Wednesday asking Pryor to investigate the Birmingham track's processing work for Racing and Gaming Services Ltd., a phone betting service based in the island nation of St. Kitts, also known as St. Christopher and Nevis. They also asked him to probe the track's providing similar data processing services for Tucson Greyhound Park in Arizona.

"There are legitimate concerns that the Birmingham Race Course is operating outside of its boundaries as defined by state law," said the letter. It was signed by Republican Sens. Steve French of Mountain Brook; Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills; Curt Lee of Jasper; Bill Armistead of Columbiana; Albert Lipscomb of Magnolia Springs; Del Marsh of Anniston; Hap Myers of Mobile; Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb; and Democrat Sen. Bobby Denton of Muscle Shoals.

The senators said two Birmingham Racing Commission members were not aware of the track's data processing services.

"If you determine that the Birmingham Race Course is violating law, then we urge you to also take the necessary steps to put a stop to these activities and pursue any other strategies you deem sufficient," the letter said.

A Pryor spokeswoman said she couldn't immediately comment on the issue.

Race course spokesman Rick Heartsill said Wednesday data processing at the course is no different that at other tracks who handle similar services for locations around the world.

"This is very positive for Birmingham," Heartsill told The Birmingham News in a story Thursday. "It has helped to generate work for employees who otherwise might have lost their jobs due to our decline in business from live racing."

Processing "hubs" provide other tracks with the computer processing they need to handle live or simulcast betting, usually collecting a fee based on a percentage of money the track handles for its clients.

The "hub" business does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Birmingham Racing Commission because the betting does not take place in Alabama, said Claude Williams, the commission's executive director.

The Birmingham Race Court isn't required to publicly report what it earns from the business.

The Birmingham track, along with tracks in Macon, Greene and Mobile counties, are pushing a bill that would allow them to add video poker. Track officials claim the machines are needed to combat loss of revenue and flagging attendance. The bill would require local residents to vote on the proposal.

Heartsill said the senators' letter is "a political witchhunt" to cloud the video poker issue and sabotage addition of the machines. He said the senators want to "deny the people of Macon County the right to vote on their local video gaming bill."