MEDIA ADVISORY: Kentucky's Leading Nonprofits Oppose Casino Project Slated for West Kentucky
WHO: Commonwealth Policy Center and The Family Foundation of Kentucky
WHERE: Kentucky State Capitol Rotunda
DATE: November 29, 2018
TIME: Noon
CONTACT: Richard Nelson (270) 719-1640
Two of Kentucky's leading nonprofits opposed to casino expansion in the Commonwealth are holding a press conference in the Capitol rotunda on Thursday, November 29 at noon. Commonwealth Policy Center's Executive Director Richard Nelson and The Family Foundation's Executive Director Kent Ostrander will be joined by Hershael York, pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church and Dean of Theology at the Southern Baptist Seminary. Each will share their perspective as to why the proposed $150 million Oak Grove casino expansion is not in the best interest of the Commonwealth.
"Despite the casino-expansion mantra of 'Let the people decide,' Churchill Downs and Keeneland have unilaterally decided that instant racing machines have been legal all along and they're expanding into unsuspecting communities," Nelson said. "The people have never voted on it. Nor has there ever been a legislative hearing on the legality of the machines. In fact, there's an unsettled court case challenging their legality. What the tracks are doing is clearly without legal authority."
The Oak Grove project includes a horse track, outdoor amphitheater, equestrian center, hotel, restaurants and gambling venue that will hold up to 1500 instant racing machines. "All the gambling interests see is dollar signs and they're not considering the collateral damage addiction brings to real people," Nelson said. "The proposal is a 'pie in the sky' promise while the community will be left with crumbs since they're the ones left to pick up the pieces of broken lives trapped by addiction."