Hurdles stack up for card room bids - 2004-02-12
Anyone looking to fill the hole created by the closing
of the Outpost Casino last year has to overcome a long list of hurdles to apply for a card room license.

The City Council added on a new fee Tuesday as a requirement for applicants.

The council postponed its decision on the amount of the levy, but the fee could be hefty -- and a strong deterrent.

New card room licenses have to be approved by a majority vote, so city staff outlined one fee option that could charge applicants the cost of the election. An election could cost more than $100,000, depending on whether the vote is a special ballot or part of a regular municipal vote.
Read the full story at Contra Costa Times

Talks seek Ky. casino, racetrack compromise - 2004-02-12
Legislation that would legalize casino gambling in Kentucky is still alive as casino advocates and the thoroughbred industry try to form a compromise.

Industry leaders met Wednesday in Frankfort with Kentucky House President Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville, but did not produce a bill, said Bob Elliston, president of Turfway Park in Florence.

The industry favors video slots and other electronic gaming at the state's race tracks - a concept known as "racinos"- as a way to compete with riverboat casinos in Indiana, Illinois and elsewhere.
Read the full story at Cincinnati Enquirer