BISMARCK -- Some North Dakota legislators are angry the state Racing Commission wants to sponsor horse and harness racing only at the new Fargo race track.
They're introducing a bill to force the commission to sponsor races at the existing tracks in Belcourt and Bottineau.
The North Dakota Horse Park Foundation's race track is under construction in Fargo and the Racing Commission has sanctioned race dates for August and September.
But the commission decided in November that, with the Fargo track opening, it would no longer sponsor horse racing at Chippewa Downs or harness races at Bottineau.
Those facilities can still hold races but they can't allow pari-mutuel betting unless it's a state-sanctioned race. Operators of Chippewa Down say a horse race without betting won't draw spectators.
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A bill is being introduced to force the state Racing Commission to sponsor races at tracks operated since Dec. 31, 2000.
House Minority Leader Merle Boucher, D-Rolette, said Wednesday the bill will "rein in" the commission for shutting down the two smaller tracks. The Belcourt track is in his district and Bottineau is next door in District 6.
"Both Democrats and Republicans are quite incensed at what took place there (at the November commission meeting)," he said. The bill is sponsored by a bipartisan group of legislators, some of them from Mandan.
Some Mandan people have been angry the Racing Commission did not pick their city to build the new race track.
Commission Chairwoman Ann Mahoney of Center said races at Bottineau and Belcourt are being dropped because the tracks don't fit the Racing Commission's rules for races. She said in the past, when the commission sponsored races at Belcourt, several variances had to be granted to the facilities.
"We can't put on a race of the caliber we wanted," she said.
The commission has a few friends in the Legislature, too. It asked for and got a bill to allow its members to be reappointed to a second term. Currently, commissioners can serve only one five-year term and cannot be reappointed.
Mahoney said the commission does not want to lose the experience its members have built up serving their terms.
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Commissioner Charlie Stoltenow of Great Bend will complete his term this year and a prohibition on second terms "is like you're wasting the expertise," Mahoney said.
She said it takes most of a term to get up to speed on the commission's business and the racing industry.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Janell Cole at (701) 224-0830
