A bill that would have put a multimillion-dollar gambling parlor with video slot machines next to Turfway Park in Florence died quietly Tuesday in the 2002 General Assembly. Supporters weren't sure what killed it.

        House Majority Floor Leader Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, shipped the expanded-gambling bill, sponsored by State Rep. Jim Callahan, D-Wilder, with dozens of other dead bills to a committee to sit idly for the rest of the legislative session. The session ends April 15, but Tuesday was the last day for lawmakers to take action on a bill.

        The gambling bill would have expanded the state's gambling laws to allow video-slot machines, but only at the state's thoroughbred racetracks, which have been struggling since casino riverboats arrived in Indiana and tracks in West Virginia put in slots.

        “I think it's probably at the funeral home right now,” said House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville, one of the prime supporters. “I think it was a missed opportunity,” said Gary Toebben, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in Fort Mitchell. “Those of us who live in Northern Kentucky watch the cars every day drive to Indiana (to riverboat casinos). If it's dead in this session, it probably won't come back in the (possible) special session.”

        Kentucky was the second of the three states in the Tristate gambling race to fail to take action this year on a proposal to increase state revenue by allowing more gambling.

        Indiana's legislature also failed to reach agreement or vote on expansion of its gaming laws before its session closed last month.

        So, even though Turfway Park and the other seven racetracks in Kentucky won't be able to have casino-style gambling out of this session, the Indiana gambling riverboats that already take in millions won't be allowed to operate while docked.

        Expanded gambling could have meant $919 million more revenue annually for cash-strapped Kentucky, recouping some of the more than $1 billion in revenue that gambling proponents say is spent by Kentuckians on out-of-state gaming.

        Mr. Callahan, meanwhile, said the bill is alive until the session adjourns in 12 days. He said he has not asked Gov. Paul Patton to call a special session after April 15, though he was certain the governor — who has previously publicly supported expanded gambling measures — would say something like “everything is on the table.”

        “I've always said I won't admit (the bill is dead) until April 15,” he said.

        “I'm very disappointed with Northern Kentucky (representatives),” Mr. Callahan said. “Out of 14, we only had three votes.”

        Mr. Callahan said the three voting for the bill were him; Jon Draud, R-Crestview Hills; and Arnold Simpson, D-Covington.

        David Switzer, director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association in Lexington, a group that supported the Kentucky bill, was similarly baffled at the bill's failure.

        “This is a work in progress,” Mr. Switzer said. “I'm disappointed it didn't pass this time around. We'll continue to educate. ... We need to sit down and analyze what we did wrong and what we did right.”

        Jane Chiles, executive director of the Frankfort-based Catholic Conference of Kentucky, which opposed the bill, said the bill diverted attention from a more pressing need — tax reform.

        “It's a victory, but it has a price,” Ms. Chiles said.

       The Associated Press contributed to this story.
       

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