I read several stories in the paper today about the regulations you are considering today.  I was surprised to learn that Virginia is looking to double the number of horse racing betting machines than those found in Kentucky.  That was alarming, and I hope you will do what you can to reduce that number.  I was surprised that more information was not publicly available about this issue and the regulations themselves.  Why would Virginia think it can sustain 3,000 machines when Colonial Downs has failed in the past?  Local governments and its citizens should decide once again if this is a realistic number and if it is acceptable.  These machines are not what they seem and look more like casino slot machines than anything else.  And that’s ok by me, but it is not what the voters were told years ago.  I did not vote in those referendums, but would do so now.  I say leave it to the voters and local governments to decide for themselves.  And please, by all means don’t place these betting warehouses in impoverished areas in Richmond or throughout Virginia and think they will succeed.  These should be located in areas where there is a bustling restaurants and activity, not at an old K-Mart facility near a poor Richmond neighborhood as the paper suggested was the case.  We all support horse racing and family farms, but this is a bit too greedy even for Colonial Downs. 

Jack Kiefer

Midothian, Virginia