By Phil Kabler, The Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Racing Commissioner Ken Lowe called Tuesday for all sides of the greyhound and thoroughbred racing industries to unite against legislative and humane-group efforts to decouple racing at the state’s racetrack casinos.
“The racing industry is constantly under attack. We’re under attack, folks; we’re low-hanging fruit,” he said during Tuesday’s commission meeting. “We need to be together. We need to be united.”
In 2017, the Legislature passed a bill to eliminate the $15 million annual subsidy for greyhound racing purses, and to remove a requirement in state law that racetrack casinos in Nitro and Wheeling provide greyhound racing, to be allowed to operate video lottery and table games.
Gov. Jim Justice vetoed the bill, but Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, has said he plans to revive the legislation during the 2020 regular session, contending that the $15 million could be better spent on other much-needed state projects and programs. …
