A bill that would make several changes and set a number of requirements toward the state's casinos, horse racing tracks and video lottery terminals should be on the House floor next week.
''It came out of committee (Wednesday) very strongly supported bi-partisanly,'' said state Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry, D-Austintown, who is a co-sponsor of the bill. ''It will go onto the floor on Tuesday.''
The bill, which encompasses casinos, casino license transfer and state lottery law, also would set several guidelines for video lottery terminals and horse racing laws. Those would play into whether either of two proposed tracks proposed for the Mahoning Valley would be built.
''We are hopeful we can get 66 votes to get an emergency clause put on the bill because we would like to expedite the process,'' Gerberry said Thursday.
''If we are the first one to put a shovel in the ground, we are probably in solid position to get a beautiful $250 million thoroughbred location in Austintown. We have to get this done and if we don't get an emergency clause that will delay the provisions of this bill for 90 days.''
He added that the bill still needs to be passed by the house and then sent to the senate before it is brought back to the house.
''You know western Pennsylvania is moving forward to move some trotters over there and a casino, and we want to move and get this done,'' he said. ''Any way we can expedite this process would be a benefit to the Mahoning Valley.''
A portion of the bill would would establish the Racetrack Relocation Fund, which would ''receive any money paid to the state by horse-racing permit holders for the privilege to relocate to a new facility in accordance with the law'' the summary states.
The fund would allocate $500,000 to the Problem Casino Gambling and Addictions Fund, no more than $3 million to the previous community of each moved track and the remainder would go to the General Revenue Fund.
There would also be a fund set-up, the Racetrack Facility Community Economic Redevelopment Fund, which would hold funds used for repurposing or demolishing an abandoned facility or reinvestment into the area.
Tom Letson, D-Warren, also co-sponsored the bill and said that he sees a few possible amendments that couple be brought up.
''There will probably be a couple more amendments that are introduced on the floor, one having to do with dedication of monies to problem gambling,'' he said. ''That will probably come up on the floor of the house.''
Gerberry also believes that such an amendment could be introduced.
''I think that's an issue that may be dealt with on the floor. That's a guess on my part, but there could possibly be a relook at that,'' he said.
For Gerberry, however, the support the bill has received has been very good.
''I felt very much that we were all working together. It was an exhibition of bi-partisanship and how the process is supposed to work,'' he said.
Penn National Gaming Inc., which plans to relocate their Beulah Park racetrack in Columbus to Austintown, supports the bills but would like to have more dialogue with legislators.
''For the most part, we are fine with the bill,'' said Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for Penn National. ''The provision with minimum racing days needs to be worked on and we think there needs to be more discussion between the parties involved, the racetracks, the horsemen and the racing commission with the legislature.''
Having the bill pass would clarify the VLT process, Tenenbaum said. But they still have a couple obstacles to get through including the setting of a relocation fee by the Ohio State Racing Commission and a lawsuit filed by the American Policy Roundtable in regards to Gov. John Kasich's executive order.
''As long as this lawsuit is pending, I don't think anything will happen,'' Tenenbaum said.
Also in the running, officials with the Mahoning Valley Development Group LLC announced a year ago their proposal to build a $300 million horse racetrack and resort in Vienna.
Rick Lertzman of MVD announced that they intend to build their track on nearly 600 acres of land off state Route 11 next to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.