Agency
2007 Minutes
VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION
Minutes Of The Commission Meeting
January 17, 2007
STATE CORPORTATION COMMISSION
TYLER BUILDING, COURTROOM B
1300 EAST MAIN STREET
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
In Attendance
Commission Members:
Peter C. Burnett, Chairman
Mark T. Brown, Vice Chairman
David C. Reynolds
I. Clinton Miller
Commission Staff:
Stanley K. Bowker, Executive Secretary
Kimberly M. Cater, Office Administrator
David Lermond, Jr., Director of Pari-mutuels
Joseph M. Roney, Director of Operations & Enforcement
Marvin A. Sniegon, Director of Financial Management & Planning
Attorney General’s Office:
Amy K. Dilworth
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At 9:42 a.m., Chairman Brown called the regular monthly meeting of the Commission to order.
Commissioner Brown said the floor was open for nominations for Commission Chairman for 2007 and he nominated Commissioner Burnett. There being no further nominations, Commissioner Burnett was unanimously elected Chairman.
Commissioner Burnett assumed the chair and asked for nominations for Vice Chairman. Commissioner Brown was nominated for Vice Chairman and was unanimously elected.
The minutes of the December 20, 2006 meeting were approved.
Commissioner Reynolds reported he and staff had met with CRT/tanaka on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 for an update on the various marketing programs being developed. He stated an ambassadors’ program is being developed to provide a number of key people from throughout the state to make personal appearances on behalf of the equine industry. He asked industry stakeholders to help develop a list of potential speakers. He then moved, it was seconded and unanimously approved that the current Marketing & Promotion Committee remain in tact for 2007 to monitor the work of CRT/tanaka and review other requests for marketing money.
Acting on the recommendation from Mr. Bowker, the Commission approved Colonial Downs’ February simulcasting schedule.
Mr. Bowker reviewed the pari-mutuel handle numbers for 2007 that totaled $192.5 million--$164.2 million at Colonial Downs and its nine satellite wagering facilities and $28.3 million in account wagering. In addition $48,616,000 was wagered on the Colonial Downs live races from outside of Virginia.
The Commission unanimously approved the following Commissioner’s Travel Policy for 2007:
If requested, Commissioners may receive per diem payments and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to the Commonwealth’s State Travel Regulations for attendance at all Commission meetings, Committee meetings, meetings with staff, meetings with Administration officials, appearances before the General Assembly, meetings of the Association of Racing Commissioners International and its committee meetings, the National Racing Compact and its committee meetings, the annual University of Arizona Symposium on Racing and, with prior approval, other Commission business which may arise.
Mr. Bowker reviewed the transfer of funds to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the Virginia Horse Industry Board and the Virginia Equine Center Foundation as required by statute.
He also reported that the Executive Directors and Secretaries in the Mid-Atlantic region would be meeting in February to discuss the anabolic steroid issue and the transfer of horses by suspended trainers.
Glen Petty, Executive Director of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, reviewed a proposed agreement among Colonial Downs, the Virginia HBPA and the VTA to provide funding to the VTA from account wagering revenues generated by Colonial Downs PhoneBet. The proposal was tabled until the February meeting.
John Scott, Executive Director, and Lethia Hammond, Director of Marketing, Public Affairs and Development for The Virginia Horse Center, provided an overview of activities and plans for the Horse Center.
The next meeting of the Commission was scheduled for February 21, 2007.
There being no further business, the monthly meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
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Prior to the regular monthly meeting, an appeal hearing in The Matter of Trainer Julianne Bobby was scheduled. Ms. Bobby requested a postponement until the February meeting.
Chairman Burnett moved, it was seconded and unanimously approved that the hearing be continued to the February 21, 2007 meeting and that The Commission issue a subpoena to appear to Julianne Bobby and include in the notice and that she may be subject to sanctions if she fails to appear.