ANDERSON – Hoosier Park Racing & Casino touted the casino’s investment in Madison County and announced a new virtual ownership program during a meeting of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission in Anderson on Wednesday.
In a report handed out at the meeting Centaur Gaming, which owns Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, touted more than $1 billion in community investment in the form of payroll, regional purchases and tax or fee payments in seven years of operation.
The report also notes that 54 percent of the casinos' employees are from Madison and Shelby counties and 87 percent are Indiana residents. Approximately 1,500 people were employed since the casino's opening.
Anderson Mayor Tom Broderick said Hoosier Park is a "great community partner."
He said the city takes in about $2.5 million each year from the casino in taxes that are used to fund the city's Information Services, Engineering and Municipal Development departments as well as the city's liability and casualty insurance.
"Obviously it is a big taxpayer, and they are a great support," Broderick said. "And the number of folks they hire, a good many come from that community and we are appreciative of that."
Jim Brown, president and COO of Centaur Gaming, said the company is in the “middle chapter” of the company’s story. He said Hoosier Park’s annual handle, which is the total amount of all bets made, is up more than 50 percent since 2012.
The company has also focused on better broadcasting its races by investing in high definition broadcast equipment and landing more deals with other tracks and betting places. Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand have recently begun broadcasts in Australia four days a week.
Brown also promoted Hoosier Park’s hosting of the 2017 Breeder’s Cup as a win for the casino.
First Turn Stable
Also at the meeting, Rick Moore, vice president and general manager of racing at Hoosier Park, introduced a new program looking to give 50 fans a chance at virtual ownership of a horse.
The First Turn Stable program will “give a chance for folks to learn what it’s like to be a part of this great sport.”
The hope, Moore said, is that the program will give people who have thought about owning a horse a chance to see what it really costs to race and maintain a racehorse.
“Owners are the lifeblood of our sport,” he said. “And we need to get more people involved.”
The program will cost $250 and be limited to 50 people. This group of owners will have a chance to meet with the horse’s trainer, longtime racer Jeff Cullipher, and will receive weekly email announcements and monthly expense reports.
At the end of the racing year any profits made by the horse will be split between the 50 owners and the horse will be sold. The money from the sale will be donated to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.
Moore said the casino plans to open the program next week, as soon as it is able to acquire a racehorse.
“Without owners none of this (horse racing) takes place,” Moore said. “This will let people get to learn the nuts and bolts of being an owner.”