“You’re never too far behind to come back.”  - An excerpt from Seabiscuit (the book)
 
A group of supporters of the Michigan horserace industry has adopted that inspirational phrase in their quest to save the industry from extinction.
 
MARES (the Michigan Agriculture Recovery and Enhancement Supporters) are attempting to put the horserace industry back on equal footing with casinos and the lottery by adding additional gaming opportunities at the state’s seven racetracks.
 
Since the inception of the lottery, additional gaming at bingos and bars and casinos the industry has fallen on hard times resulting in a reduced attendance and wagering.  Since 1999 alone, attendance at tracks has fallen 25 percent.
 
The impact is even greater when you consider job losses and the impact on the economy.  Currently the industry is a $1.2 billion a year industry employing 26,200 workers, including 12,200 workers on family farms.  However, at one time the industry supported more than 40,000 workers.
 
A series of bills in the State Legislature, called the agriculture enhancement package, will help put the industry back on secure ground. The bills would simply allow the tracks to install a limited number of video lottery terminals at the existing seven state racetracks.

The increased revenue would be used to help balance the state’s budget deficit, fund education and be used for agricultural programs such as the County Fairs and the Future Farmers of America.
 
Also, revenues would be used to upgrade track facilities, add race dates and increase purses.  This is especially important since the Michigan horse race industry must compete with numerous other adjoining and nearby states that either have or will soon have video terminals at tracks.  In addition, Ontario has 15 sites offering racing and gaming.
 
The result is predictable—our best horses go out of state or country to race, attracted by more racing dates and higher purses.  This has resulted in fewer racing dates at our own tracks and at the state’s county fairs.  Only 29 of the 83 County Fairs currently have horse racing schedules.
 
Why is horseracing important to the tourism industry?  First horseracing is the lynchpin to the horse industry in the state, and its presence helps support everything from dressage competition to barrel racing.  It’s like the transmission in a car: without you don’t go anywhere!  Probably more important is that horseracing is like any other major attraction, visitors spend money at gas stations, restaurants and local stores.  At one time in Michigan more than 3.9 million guests visited race tracks each year.  By 2001 that number had dwindled to 1.4 million guests.  The economic impact of that loss in communities is enormous.
 
MARES believes that horseracing is once again ready to break from the gate.  The recent excitement over the book and the movie, Seabiscuit, has shown that horseracing can be a valuable attraction in Michigan’s tourism mix.
 
Note: As of this time, the Michigan House of Representatives has approved a series of bills known as the agricultural enhancement package.  The bills are awaiting a hearing in the Michigan Senate this fall.  The hearing has not been scheduled yet.  (See State Representative Larry Julian’s article and Don Holecek’s editorial in this same issue of Michigan Tourism Business for more information about this pending legislation.)
 
To view a list of Michigan’s seven major tracks, go to: Michigan Horse Racing.  To learn more about this industry go to: Horse Racing in Michigan - An Economic Impact Study, Dec. 2002 (PDF file) or visit the home page of the Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association.
 
*Bill Castanier is an MSU graduate (1973) of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.  He is also a National Board Member of the MSU Alumni Association and has worked for more than 30 years in journalism, advertising and economic development, most recently with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He specializes in social marketing and public affairs issues at the state level.