I am writing you in support of regulations that will support historical horse racing in Virginia and allow it to revive the horse racing business in Virginia.

The introduction of historical horse racing will bring the return of world-class horse racing to Virginia. Currently, because Virginia lacks racing, many Virginians are traveling and spending money in nearby states that have it. This causes us to lose tax dollars and economic growth opportunities.  A healthy and vibrant horse racing industry in Virginia will mean economic development and job creation that extends far beyond the track itself.

Horse racing is one of our important and historic home grown industries, much like Virginia wine, craft beer, peanuts and oysters, one that can be a calling card for the Commonwealth and help benefit our entire economy. After all, the best racehorse of the last 100 years was a Virginia gentleman: Secretariat.

At the reopening of Colonial Downs the governor said, “We all benefit from it…we just want horse racing to be part of the Commonwealth.”

Historical horse racing will means thousands of new jobs, tens of millions in state and local tax revenue, and millions more in economic development that is at stake.

The Virginia Racing Commission has promulgated regulations that we fear will not support the horse racing industry in ways that can produce the positive economic impact envisioned when HB 1609 was passed.

As written, these initial regulations do not allow for historical horse racing to grow with the market.

The more people come to Virginia to watch horse races at Colonial Downs, the more people stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants, and visit other areas of the state and historical sites.

When horse racing thrives in our state, related companies and industries in agricultural and tourism will also—from contractors working on facilities to feed companies supplying farms and on and on.

But that requires support for the horse racing industry, not barriers to it.

Ultimately it should be the market that determines what historical horse racing looks like in Virginia in the years ahead, and what is needed for our horse racing industry to be truly competitive.

We ask the Virginia Racing Commission to work with the horse industry to put in place regulations that truly allow horse racing to succeed here.