Slot machine gambling has found itself in the spot light once again, with the endeavors of General Assembly members, representing a Lower Shore, who invest a great deal of energy into manipulation of slot gambling legislation. They've set to transfer Ocean Downs Raceway to Pocomoke City for legislation to get enacted in another country by conducting a straw vote on this issue. Meanwhile, the two Lower Shore delegates have maintained that a new $10 million facility will be built in southern Worcester County and that by 2007 the horse racing will be balked from racing at Ocean Downs.
The bill proposes up to 2,500 slot machines or video lottery terminals. Some portion of revenues is set to go to state, county and Pocomoke City ledger. The Pocomoke City would be guided to either sell or lease William Rickman, who is the principal owner" of Ocean Downs a parcel of land, south of Pocomoke City and oblige him to invest $10 million on posing a new racetrack there, while shutting down his Berlin track.
The last year detained slot bill was brought forward to Dor-chester County to poll itself on the ballot box. Should it pass, the next year state election is obliged to include it on the county's ballot. Though the humble attempts to pass the bill last year were brutally head off by the General Assembly, this year, with the recent relocation proposition, the picture seems to be brighter and Pocomoke City officials anticipate the prospective track with great elation.
