Windsor Raceway future in jeopardy, manager says

According to the president of Windsor Raceway, the track's future is in jeopardy if the province goes through with its plan to remove slot machines from the facility in two weeks.

Pat Soulliere was one of about a dozen people who spoke at Monday night's city council meeting.

He was asked if it's viable to continue running the track.

"That's what we're working on at the moment," Soulliere told council. 

He said the future of Windsor Raceway is "very much" up in the air.

'No buyouts, no pensions'

It's an emotional issue for some people.

Karen Duck read a letter, written by her daughter, who works in the horse racing industry.

"When this industry folds up, there are no buyouts, no pensions; all we have is our investments and assets relative to this industry, which will be rendered totally useless," Duck said.

After more than two and a half hours of discussion, the politicians unanimously passed a motion to petition the province to reverse the decision.

The motion also requests the opposition parties demand the minority government Liberals reverse the slots decision in return for their support of the budget. The budget vote will be held April 24.

Coun. Percy Hatfield hopes council can get the ear of the government.

"The whole purpose is to get a meeting with these guys ... and try to straighten them out and have them admit that they made a terrible mistake. There's no shame in reversing them," Hatfield said.

Pamela Davis, 61, has been involved with horse racing for 40 years. She and her husband are worried about losing their jobs.

"Does the city and province have enough money to support us if and when we go on welfare?" she asked.

Jobs at stake

Council heard 2,000 local jobs are at stake if the raceway were to close.

The general manager of the Ontario Harness Horse Association says he and others in the industry were not consulted about the slots.

Council members said the government and OLG are making a mistake and that they failed to think the situation through.

Mayor Eddie Francis said he'll be talking to OLG by phone on Thursday.

Windsor Raceway opened in 1964. Slots were added 15 years. Approximately 700 slot machines will be removed at the end of the month and more than 200 people will be out of work.