SAN MATEO -- Four local politicians denounced the state horseracing board on Thursday for backing a proposal that could hurt theJockey Club satellite wagering facility.
As reported in July, a deputy county counsel flew to the SanDiego area on a last-second mission to thwart the California HorseRacing Board's intention to install mini-satellite wageringfacilities in two San Francisco bars.
The county, which owns and operates the Event Center where theJockey Club is housed, got the proposal tabled by invoking a statelaw that prevents any wagering facility from opening within 20 milesof another.
Berkeley-based Golden Gate Fields, which would operate the twoSan Francisco facilities, said they would ask the county for awaiver or contact legislators to seek a law change.
Two weeks later, Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, hosted apress conference at the Jockey Club to announce the Event Center was'under attack.'
Hill joined county supervisors Adrienne Tissier and Carole Groom,plus San Mateo Deputy Mayor John Lee, in criticizing the board fornot notifying the county ahead of time and for trying to circumventthe 20-mile law.
Hill called it an 'under the radar, stealth plan,' and said hemay introduce legislation that would require the board to notifylocal governments when considering such wagering facilities.
'The San Mateo delegation will fight, and I mean fight,' Hillsaid.
Board officials previously had claimed they simply looked up thedistance to drive between the San Francisco locations and the JockeyClub using the Google Maps service. The directions were not in astraight line, however, and the locations appeared more than 20miles apart.
Golden Gate Fields officials had previously criticized San Mateoleaders for trying to hold back a much-needed expansion opportunityfor the struggling sport.
But local officials said the county needs to repay the debt onthe $5.1 million club and that 40 percent of its customers hail fromSan Francisco.
The city also reaps about $250,000 in revenue from the club.
'We desperately need that money,' Lee said.
Tissier called it a 'real greed play' on the horse racing board'spart.
'We're protecting an investment that we all made,' Tissier said.
Staff writer Mike Rosenberg covers San Mateo, Burlingame, Belmontand transportation issues. Reach him at 650-348-4324.
