Governor DeWine finally listened and gave us the green light to get back to the track. Thousands of workers can finally earn a paycheck again because we refused to stay silent while they ignored our industry. Keep watching them closely to ensure they hold up their end of the deal …
June 22, 2020
Final supporters
Dear Governor DeWine,
On behalf of Ohio’s horsemen and women, our employees, track operators and their employees, as well as harness racing fans, thank you for your compassionate leadership on the COVID-19 crisis. You have been faced with a myriad of difficult challenges, and your efforts to balance health and economic concerns are admirable.
However, our industry, which employs directly or indirectly over 5,000 Ohioans, needs your support. With racing on hold, groomers, trainers and other employees are going without paychecks. Veterinarian bills, blacksmiths, stable rents and utilities are going unpaid.
In addition to thousands of workers losing their income, the impact of our tracks being closed is affecting all Ohioans. Our racing venues and their satellite signals provide a significant source of tax dollars paid to the state of Ohio. While the state faces budget cuts and is losing needed tax dollars, we can safely generate taxable income for all Ohioans.
With almost no sports on TV and none airing daily, a significant economic windfall could be gained if we restart racing quickly. We hope this fact has not been overlooked in your plans to reopen the state. Our daily handle would be at a record level if we could get our tracks open this month.
The harness racing industry in Ohio dates back to the late 19th century. Columbus is home to the United States Trotting Association and many leaders of our sport. Ohio has long been a front-runner in harness racing, with Delaware, Ohio, hosting the internationally recognized Little Brown Jug, which you personally attended last year. You witnessed what our sport means to Ohioans.
It is important to note that harness racing, while an exciting sport, does not require a crowd. Fans around the state and the country can enjoy races at our tracks in Columbus, Dayton and Cleveland from anywhere via satellite. Fans can watch and wager online or enjoy racing on TV, as they are already doing so in several states. Kentucky, Florida, California and Arkansas currently are allowing thoroughbred racing without an audience.
The harness racing industry has developed a comprehensive safety and sanitation strategy that will allow operations to resume safely, including social distancing plans for workers.
We ask that you allow the racing tracks to reopen in May without fans, so the state’s harness racing industry does not perish. We will defer to you and your medical authorities on when fans may return to the stands and under what conditions.
With no clear direction on when racing can resume, our industry is on the verge of collapse, threatening jobs, the health of the horses we love and tax revenue the state desperately needs.
There is nothing to be gained by allowing this uncertainty to continue. The risk to reopening – if any – is very low. If racing does not begin soon, horsemen and women will be forced to find other employment, livelihoods will be lost, and owners will be forced to sell their animals and cease operations, all with devastating long-term effects to our industry.
Thank you for listening to our plea.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
May 7, 2020
May 6, 2020
Governor DeWine is still ignoring the thousands of us whose livelihoods have been completely gutted by this shutdown. Our industry is bleeding money while the state stares at the ceiling and refuses to give us a path forward. I am done waiting for them to notice us so I am turning up the heat on the administration starting today.
Reached 100 supporters
May 6, 2020
205 Comments
I think harness racing could resume safely without fans at the 2 Ohio tracks that would be racing - Scioto Downs & Northfield Park. Both have plenty of barn area to allow public distancing. At least fans could watch racing thru simulcasts.
Opening race tracks would allow for fewer people in one large open area than any limits currently in place on stores capacity. Stores like Wal-Mart currently have a capacity of 500+ in store at one time. A full race card may place 200 people with plenty of social distancing.
Unlike many industries and businesses, overhead costs for horses cannot be stopped. They need fed, cared for, etc. Many people and horses are beginning to move into dangerous territory. We ask that you allow us to safely get back racing before lives, both human and horse, are ruined.
As a Public Health Director I am confident the horseman of Ohio can start back racing with social distancing. Provide guidance like Kentucky governor and get racing started back.
We are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars over this. I alone have 70 headed horses that need to compete be fed and taken care of by employees. We need to b racing to make the money to pay and feed all of these animals. They only have us to depend on. We need race tracks to open up immediately
It outside event. It is safer then stores and restraunts open it up.
Let’s help people get their lively hood back.
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Governor DeWine finally listened and gave us the green light to get back to the track. Thousands of workers can finally earn a paycheck again because we refused to stay silent while they ignored our industry. Keep watching them closely to ensure they hold up their end of the deal …
June 22, 2020
Final supporters
Dear Governor DeWine,
On behalf of Ohio’s horsemen and women, our employees, track operators and their employees, as well as harness racing fans, thank you for your compassionate leadership on the COVID-19 crisis. You have been faced with a myriad of difficult challenges, and your efforts to balance health and economic concerns are admirable.
However, our industry, which employs directly or indirectly over 5,000 Ohioans, needs your support. With racing on hold, groomers, trainers and other employees are going without paychecks. Veterinarian bills, blacksmiths, stable rents and utilities are going unpaid.
In addition to thousands of workers losing their income, the impact of our tracks being closed is affecting all Ohioans. Our racing venues and their satellite signals provide a significant source of tax dollars paid to the state of Ohio. While the state faces budget cuts and is losing needed tax dollars, we can safely generate taxable income for all Ohioans.
With almost no sports on TV and none airing daily, a significant economic windfall could be gained if we restart racing quickly. We hope this fact has not been overlooked in your plans to reopen the state. Our daily handle would be at a record level if we could get our tracks open this month.
The harness racing industry in Ohio dates back to the late 19th century. Columbus is home to the United States Trotting Association and many leaders of our sport. Ohio has long been a front-runner in harness racing, with Delaware, Ohio, hosting the internationally recognized Little Brown Jug, which you personally attended last year. You witnessed what our sport means to Ohioans.
It is important to note that harness racing, while an exciting sport, does not require a crowd. Fans around the state and the country can enjoy races at our tracks in Columbus, Dayton and Cleveland from anywhere via satellite. Fans can watch and wager online or enjoy racing on TV, as they are already doing so in several states. Kentucky, Florida, California and Arkansas currently are allowing thoroughbred racing without an audience.
The harness racing industry has developed a comprehensive safety and sanitation strategy that will allow operations to resume safely, including social distancing plans for workers.
We ask that you allow the racing tracks to reopen in May without fans, so the state’s harness racing industry does not perish. We will defer to you and your medical authorities on when fans may return to the stands and under what conditions.
With no clear direction on when racing can resume, our industry is on the verge of collapse, threatening jobs, the health of the horses we love and tax revenue the state desperately needs.
There is nothing to be gained by allowing this uncertainty to continue. The risk to reopening – if any – is very low. If racing does not begin soon, horsemen and women will be forced to find other employment, livelihoods will be lost, and owners will be forced to sell their animals and cease operations, all with devastating long-term effects to our industry.
Thank you for listening to our plea.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
May 7, 2020
May 6, 2020
Governor DeWine is still ignoring the thousands of us whose livelihoods have been completely gutted by this shutdown. Our industry is bleeding money while the state stares at the ceiling and refuses to give us a path forward. I am done waiting for them to notice us so I am turning up the heat on the administration starting today.
Reached 100 supporters
May 6, 2020
205 Comments
If racing doesn't open up soon, slot of horses will be sent to slaughter. Alot of workers will be unemployed and other businesses will be affected. I have a hay and bedding supply business and will be impacted
I think harness racing could resume safely without fans at the 2 Ohio tracks that would be racing - Scioto Downs & Northfield Park. Both have plenty of barn area to allow public distancing. At least fans could watch racing thru simulcasts.
Opening race tracks would allow for fewer people in one large open area than any limits currently in place on stores capacity. Stores like Wal-Mart currently have a capacity of 500+ in store at one time. A full race card may place 200 people with plenty of social distancing.
Unlike many industries and businesses, overhead costs for horses cannot be stopped. They need fed, cared for, etc. Many people and horses are beginning to move into dangerous territory. We ask that you allow us to safely get back racing before lives, both human and horse, are ruined.
As a Public Health Director I am confident the horseman of Ohio can start back racing with social distancing. Provide guidance like Kentucky governor and get racing started back.
We are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars over this. I alone have 70 headed horses that need to compete be fed and taken care of by employees. We need to b racing to make the money to pay and feed all of these animals. They only have us to depend on. We need race tracks to open up immediately
It outside event. It is safer then stores and restraunts open it up.
Let’s help people get their lively hood back.
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If racing doesn't open up soon, slot of horses will be sent to slaughter. Alot of workers will be unemployed and other businesses will be affected. I have a hay and bedding supply business and will be impacted