Horseplay in Massachusetts and Monday mega-jottings

At age 86, horse owner Armand Janjigian is as alive and kicking as the thoroughbreds he wants to race in Massachusetts. No, he doesn’t have a track but he’s busily snapping up land for one. He’s also going to need a big lift from the Lege. How come? Well, obviously, horse racing isn’t what it used to be. Janjigian’s solution requires the legalization of sports betting in the Bay State and—you guessed it—casino gambling. Mind you, there’s only one racino in the state per statute and Penn National Gaming has it. Janjigian, however, has his eye on the Sturbridge area and thinks he can get a casino merely by having the zoning rules rewritten. The project would cost $25 million. The mogul, who aims for a Saratoga-like experience for horse players, would have a monopoly on thoroughbred racing, Suffolk Downs having closed after failing to strong-arm the state into a racino license.

Reports the Boston Globe, “The Sturbridge project … would be predominantly agricultural in nature: A one-mile synthetic track would be its centerpiece, with a ⅞-mile turf track inside the oval. There would also be space devoted to horses whose racing careers are over.” A familiar name has surfaced as part of the Sturbridge deal: Richard “Coastal Marina” Fields, late of Suffolk Downs. He asserts that the track doesn’t lead a casino license in order to have gambling, just legal sports betting. Spectrum Gaming Group, a trustworthy outfit, estimates that could boil down to $2 million in annual track revenue. Beacon Hill is indeed weighing legalized sports wagering but it’s hostage to budget negotiations. Time for Janjigian to do a little high-profile lobbying.