Decision enters home stretch

Fair Board meets tonight to discuss future of horse racing at Northwest Montana Fair

The Flathead County Fair Board could decide tonight whether horse races will be held at this year's Northwest Montana Fair.

The board called a special meeting to discuss the issue after the county commissioners decided not to allocate the $20,000 needed to buy jockey insurance for this year's event.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Expo Building at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Fair Board Chairman Monte Long said public comment will be taken at the beginning of the meeting. The comment period then will be closed, and the board will decide how to proceed.

To reduce the county's liability exposure, the commissioners also decided last week that jockeys no longer will be allowed to race here unless they provide their own worker's compensation and liability insurance.

Although the county doesn't pay for insurance for rodeo competitors, demolition derby drivers or other fair performers, it has traditionally paid for the jockeys' insurance coverage.

Historically, this wasn't a huge financial burden. However, the premiums are set to double this year, jumping from $5,000 to $10,000 for five days of racing. There's also a $10,000 deductible per accident, with the first $10,000 paid up front.

State racing officials reportedly are trying to find ways to reduce the financial impact on the few remaining racetracks in Montana, possibly by allowing them to borrow against future Simulcast racing proceeds.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer also recently authorized the formation of a task force to consider ways to reinvigorate the industry.

The task force won't help the Fair Board decide what to do this year, though, because its recommendations won't be available until fall at the earliest, according to a press release from the governor's office.

(Gov. Schweitzer currently is seeking applications for the task force. Letters of interest can be e-mailed to pkeebler@mt.gov or faxed to 406-444-5529. The deadline for applying is March 31.)

The status of horse racing at the Northwest Montana Fair has been uncertain for several months because of concerns that taxpayers have been subsidizing the activity.

County budget records indicate that the fair has lost $175,000 on the races in the past three years. That represents about 20 percent of what the fair received in property-tax revenue.

However, there's substantial disagreement about the county figures, largely because they doesn't reflect all of the revenue associated with horse racing, such as entrance fees and concession sales.

A recent internal audit of the fair accounts could not determine whether the fair lost money or made money on the races.

The county figures also don't take into consideration the level of employment and investment made by local businesses specifically because racing is available here.

The commissioners previously suggested that any groups who think racing is profitable would be welcome to rent the fairgrounds track and host the event.