Rockingham Park Trying to Get Slots

Proponents of slots at Rockingham Park located in Salem, New Hampshire, met with lawmakers yesterday to plead the case for slots. They say that the slots could bring the state more than $400 million in revenue the first year alone, something that NH is desperately in need of. But still, some lawmakers are not swayed enough to support them.

The track has been requesting slots to assist them in their financial straits for years now to no avail. However, this year there are other proposals for slots and gambling in Massachusetts, so this may be the year that they get a serious shot at attaining that goal. Lawmakers are also having their own problems trying to balance a budget with less money. Legalizing slots at the track would help both of them out.

Some state Representatives say that between the property tax hikes that they have dealt with over the years are killing residents so they cannot get any more revenue from that source, and education funding is constantly being cut so they cannot take from there either. They say that a new form of revenue has to be developed, and with slots being so popular in other states it may be time that they bring them in for Massachusetts.

With other states such as New Hampshire and New York bringing in more bingo and slots, they will take even more funding out of the state of Massachusetts. They are also looking at a proposal from Middleboro, Mass. that has overwhelmingly approved a tribal casino to come into their town. The Millennium Group is waiting to see if slots are legalized, if so they will exercise their option to purchase Rockingham Park.