Friday, May 26, 2000
Newport wary of gambling plan
Officials worry over city image
By Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — The perception that Newport is somehow returning to its gambling past is an issue developers and Turfway Park officials may have to overcome if they want to open an off-track betting facility in the Third Street entertainment district.
Most City Commission members expressed concern Thursday about preliminary talks between Turfway officials and Newport developers Nick Ellison and Eric Haas about locating an upscale restaurant and sports bar there featuring betting on Kentucky thoroughbred racing.
The entertainment district is in the block bordered by Third Street, Washington Street, Southgate Alley and Saratoga Street. The site for the betting facility would be where the old Dennart building stands.
“I have questions about the zoning, but even more, I have to wonder why this concept is being proposed at this site,” Commissioner Beth Fennell said.
“It seems to me, with all we have going at the riverfront in the way of family-oriented entertainment, why there couldn't be a concept for the site that is more appealing than this?”
She also said some Newport residents have brought up the city's past, when illegal gambling was rampant in the 1940s and 1950s.
“Because we got rid of the image, it's easy for some people to associate this proposal with that history,” Ms. Fennell said. “I can see peo ple saying, "Gee, I thought we were going in the other direction.'”
Commissioner Jan Knepshield agreed.
“I definitely have a problem with it,” he said. “I don't think this is the location for it, and I have a problem with the numbers they have given us for what it would bring in to the city.”
Mr. Knepshield said he didn't want to give any specific figures. But he said he also had talked to a number of people “who have had experience with this type of facility, and they don't see the big numbers.”
Turfway President Robert Elliston said state laws allowing racetracks to open off-track betting facilities in counties other than where the track is located also provide for a percentage of the gross handle — or total amount bet — to be distributed to the city and the county.
“The amount provided for the city and county would be up to 1 percent of the gross handle,” Mr. Elliston said Thursday. “We don't know what that might mean at a new (off-track) facility in Newport, but we do almost $100 million (annual) gross handle at the track with live racing and the Race Book.” The Race Book is a facility on Buttermilk Pike in Fort Mitchell.
“If we choose to move forward with something like this, I would hope (city officials) would look at our facility, Turfway Park, and consider how we operate,” he said. “We would only want something (in Newport) that would represent us in the same manner.”
State law allows the governing entity in the county or city where the off-track facility is proposed to have final approval or denial.
That means the Newport City Commission could block any plan.
Mr. Knepshield said he would take a wait-and-see attitude because “We have been through a number of presentations from this developer ... with nothing happening so far.”
Mayor Tom Guidugli, Commissioner Jerry Peluso and City Manager Phil Ciafardini have also expressed reservations about a betting facility on Third Street.
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