Governor welcomes plan for slots at state fair

Friday, Aug. 22, 2003 | 11:44 a.m.

"The threshold issue here is the Speaker is willing to negotiate on slots. Last year, the answer clearly was no," Ehrlich said Thursday during an interview with WTOP radio.

Ehrlich has opposed slots at the state fair and instead supports placing them at racetracks. Ehrlich spokeswoman Shareese N. DeLeaver said the first-term Republican governor still "favors the approach he proposed and supported during the last legislative session," but is open to other ideas.

Busch opposed a slots bill approved by the Senate during the legislative session this spring. The bill was killed in a House committee after Busch (D-Anne Arundel) said it was "poorly thought-out" and would have enriched a handful of wealthy track owners.

On Wednesday, Busch said a state-run slot machine emporium at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium could serve as a model for gambling establishments across the state.

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