The hearing on SB 1011, the bill to repeal instant racing, has wrapped up at 6 p.m.; so far today, 18 people have testified, 16 against and two in favor. It’ll continue tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.; Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said there are still about a dozen people left to testify.

Fourteen spoke this afternoon, all but one against the bill. They told of big investments some have made in the horse industry in response to the uptick in live racing in Idaho with the advent of instant racing. Some spoke emotionally of how the economic benefits have personally affected their lives. Some were sharply critical of tribal gaming in Idaho. The one who spoke in favor of the bill was Garden City Mayor John Evans, who said, “I have a little different take on the survivability. There are options. … I don’t think this has to be the end of live horse racing. I think it has to be the beginning of an attempt to get our heads together.”

Evans said he, the Garden City city council, and the city attorney believe the instant racing machines are illegal. Evans said he testified against them when the Ada County Commission held its hearing on the Les Bois Park machines, and offered an alternative to fund live racing at Les Bois Park: Develop a part of the “250 acres of very prime real estate at Expo Idaho” and create an endowment. “This development idea for a portion that would allow the fair to remain, that would allow some commercial development on the heavily traveled commercial corridors – I can’t get any traction with the county commissioners to even have any discussion,” Evans said. 

Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, asked him, “Are you suggesting to us that we can save this industry without a gambling side to make money?” Evans responded, “That’s the spirit of entrepreneurship and capitalism in this country. I say yes.”