Slots at Emerald scratched

AUBURN - Slot machines at Emerald Downs?

Forget it.

Resisting the economic quick fix favored by other race-track executives, Ron Crockett, president of Emerald Downs, yesterday said he would not seek legislative approval for the installation of slot machines at the financially challenged, 5-year-old Thoroughbred track

Even though Crockett said earlier this year that the introduction of slot machines at tribal casinos south of here and in Tacoma appeared to have resulted in a wagering decline at Emerald Downs, he does not feel it is in the best interest of the track to, in effect, fight fire with fire.

He said he has no plans for seeking legislative approval for slot machines, or anything else, in the wake of an overall 4.5 percent decline in the average daily handle - from $1,241,240 in 1999 to $1,184,179 this year.

Crockett said the track is not in the business of competing with the casino ambiance that includes, in addition to gaming, live entertainment.

"I say that you cannot take a racetrack and fit some of that in there and really compete," Crockett said. "You don't just take some slot machines and stick them up against a wall somewhere."

The introduction of slot machines at other tracks, notably in Delaware, New Mexico and at Prairie Meadows in Iowa, has been regarded as a financial lifesaver, with some of the proceeds going to increase purse funds for the horse races.

But, Crockett said, the Prairie Meadows situation is different from Emerald Downs' because there are no attractive casinos in its vicinity. And, he added, as financially successful as the slot machines have been, they have not contributed to saving the sport.

"Their take was, `We don't care about interest in the races, we're putting in whatever somebody wants,' " Crockett said. "They didn't really save the sport of racing, they found a way to get purse money.

"It would be a totally different direction for us to go down to the parking lot on the far end and build a whole, big casino thing. What are you saying? Are you saying you want more people to walk past this window and go in that door or are you saying you want more people to walk past this door and go in this window?"

Crockett said there is nothing to the rumor that Canadian industrialist Frank Stronach has offered to buy Emerald Downs and add it to his racetrack empire of six tracks, including Santa Anita. Stronach has made two appearances at Emerald Downs.

"I think there's an interest (in Emerald Downs)," Crockett said.

However, he speculated that should Stronach and Emerald ever get together it would not be a full acquisition.

"I think what they have found is that local people retaining ownership is an asset in any given area," Crockett said.

The biggest factor in this year's handle decline was the 10.2 percent drop in on-track wagering on Emerald's live races, the so-called "live on live" category which is the most important economically from the track's standpoint.

Crockett said part of the decline is attributable to the increased amount of money wagered at Emerald's satellite outlets, including a new one at Parker's in Shoreline. It gave potential track visitors a chance to wager on Emerald races without battling the traffic from the North End.

And there is the casino factor.

Crockett talked about a survey commissioned by the track that concluded that 30 percent of the adults in a 20-mile radius of Emerald Downs have visited a casino, cardroom, racetrack or satellite wagering outlet.

"Of those who have visited any of them, 78 percent have visited casinos and 45 percent the racetrack," Crockett said.

"We (track, casinos) are sharing that 30 percent. By virtue of that we're having a 5 or 6 percent decline (in handle)."

Crockett has surveys that support the notion that when people come to Emerald Downs they enjoy the experience. So, any significant spectator-area changes would seem unnecessary.

With the exception of the live-on-live handle decline, the meeting was successful. Unlike other years, there was no field-size crisis, the purse structure was supported and there was no public outcry about the condition of the track's surface.

"What we told the horsemen at the start of the meet is exactly what happened," Crockett said. "What the horsemen came here to run for they ran for without a change."

Racing highlights included:

-- The win by Washington-bred, locally owned Edneator in the Longacres Mile.

-- Jockey Gallyn Mitchell winning a second straight riding title with a scorecard that featured a track-record 12 stakes-race victories - including the Mile, Emerald Downs Derby and Gottstein Futurity.

-- Trainer Steve Bullock's rise to further prominence as the conditioner of, among others, Fleet Pacific, the winner of four straight stakes races for older fillies and mares including the Belle Roberts Handicap.

-- Apprentice jockey Jennifer Whitaker showing that after 10 years as an exercise rider in the morning, she had the ability to win races in the afternoons.

-- Tim McCanna winning the training title for a second time.

Next year?

Crockett said he is leaning toward asking the State Horse Racing Commission for racing dates similar to this year's - 96 days, starting about April 15 and ending the week after Labor Day.