Sears gambling lease tabled

May 27—CANNONSBURG — In a move Boyd County Judge-Executive Eric Chaney called "disappointing," the fiscal court decided to table a vote on a lease for the old Sears building to be the site of an off-track betting facility.

During Thursday's meeting in the Boyd County Community and Arts Center, the fiscal court voted unanimously to table the motion, in favor of it being taken up June 7 at noon. The lease would make way for "historical horse racing machines" operated by Revolutionary Racing Kentucky LLC, which would work in conjunction with a nearby quarter horse racing track.

Commissioner Larry Brown, the projected swing vote on the court, proposed the move. He said after fielding calls all day, he felt like it was a good idea to pump the brakes to give the public more time to digest the idea of an off-track horse racing facility and track coming to Boyd County.

"There's a concern that this is being crammed down people's throats," Brown said. "I've taken phone calls all day, and I want the community to see the potential value and liabilities of this decision."

Prior to the vote to table it, Chaney told the commissioners this vote for a lease "is the only shot we have" stating that 119 other counties are lined up for a track.

"This is the last horse racing license in the state," he said. "This it it. There's not next time."

Commissioner Keith Watts signaled he'd be a yes for the lease, while Commissioner Randy Stapleton said he didn't wish to comment at all.

The vote came after a long public hearing, where commissioners heard from members of the public declaring both support and opposition to the move to lease out the Sears building next to Mailbu Jack's, an arcade and fun park.

Larry Lucas, chairman of Revolutionary Racing, said his company has looked for six months before landing on Boyd County as a potential site. He said county officials have been welcoming, but are "asking tough questions."

"Like Ronald Reagan said, 'trust, but verify,'" Lucas said.

Lucas promised hundreds of jobs with living wages and full medical benefits, in addition to millions in tax monies being pumped into the local schools. After the meeting, Lucas said he welcomed the tabling of the vote, stating that more due diligence is always a good thing.

Lucas also confirmed that other areas are being looked at.

"We have to explore other options, because we have investors to answer to," Lucas said.

Dr. Richard Connelley, a dentist and former pipefitter, also spoke as a former board president of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association. Describing quarter horse racing as like drag racing with horses, he said the building of the facility would benefit folks locally because it would be done with all union labor.

The Salyersville native said he felt like the meeting went well.

"I thought it was civilized," Conley said. "Were I'm from, you might see a punch thrown."

Suzanne Griffith, a justice of the peace candidate and booster for Boyd economic growth, said the track could be Boyd's opportunity to "bring down the Winchester Wall," the proverbial border between major state projects in the prosperous Bluegrass and economically anemic eastern Kentucky.

"We supplied the bricks and we supplied the labor with our children who left," Griffith said. "Look at the places on the map — our children are moving to where these tracks are. This is a $6.5 billion industry and we can't afford to act like we're too righteous for it. This self-righteousness is getting us nowhere."

While Griffith elicited applause, so did Mark Dearing of Burnaugh. Representing the little hamlet's Baptist church, Dearing said nothing good comes out of gambling.

"Lives are ruined and people turn to drugs and alcohol," Dearing said. "We already have enough of a problem with it as is. This isn't a winning bet, this is a losing bet. The scripture encouraged investment, not risk."

Ashland City Engineer Steve Cole also voiced his concern, stating that having a gambling facility next to family fun center just didn't jive.

"As a taxpayer, I am against this because this is a publicly owned facility," he said. "This sets a bad example for our children and our families."

Mike Williams, who runs a ministry at Rose Hill Baptist Church, said the repercussions felt on the families due to gambling addiction is too great.

"We need jobs, but repercussions of this are too great," Williams said. "I'm not convinced there's a Biblical basis for or against gambling. But I can say, there's an emphasis of love from Jesus and when somebody tries to win, somebody loses. The love of money is the root of all evil."

After the meeting, Griffiith said she wanted the vote to happen Thursday night — she didn't understand the hold up. Ashland City Commission candidate David Williams, a vocal opponent of the move, said he would've preferred an up or down vote, too. However, in light of the delay, he said he hopes to get a copy of the lease through a freedom of information act request.

"I'm a believer in democracy," Williams said. "I think the people should have a say."

Brad Maggard, an Ashland firefighter, spoke against it, not from a moral standpoint, but because he didn't believe the government should subsidize a corporation. Following the vote to table, he said he didn't figure a delay would change the outcome.

(606) 326-2653 — henry@dailyindependent.com