Raton News
| Racino documents filed; state eyes Jan. 31 goal By Todd Wildermuth Editor, The Raton Range Horse Racing at Raton recently submitted to the New Mexico Gaming Control Board documentation aimed at providing financial assurances concerning the Raton racino project, which still has a lot to be done "in a short amount of time," according to the chairman of the gaming board. In granting the gaming license for the Raton project last June, the board attached several conditions to the license, the last of which were for Horse Racing at Raton President and project developer Michael Moldenhauer to provide by Dec. 31, 2009, proof that he can finance the racing portion of the estimated $50 million project and that Santa Fe investment broker Marc Correra - who was early last year allegedly tied to questionable state investment actions - has no financial interests in the project. Gaming board Chairman David Norvell said Moldenhauer turned in the required documentation on the deadline day, Dec. 31. Gaming board Deputy Executive Director Greg Saunders said the board and its staff are now reviewing and evaluating the information provided by Moldenhauer. Saunders and Norvell each said they were prohibited by law from discussing the details of the submitted information, but Norvell said the documentation regarding the divesture of Correra in the project "seems to be" satisfactory. The formal review of the latest information from Moldenhauer regarding his former partner in the Raton project and Horse Racing at Raton's current "ability to finish the job," as Norvell put it, should be completed prior to the gaming board's next monthly meeting scheduled for Jan. 21. Norvell said a project status report from Horse Racing at Raton will be on the agenda for that meeting. Norvell spoke with The Range Tuesday, the same day gaming board staff was meeting to discuss its future plans for monitoring the progress of the Raton project and determining if further information will be requested from Moldenhauer. Norvell said the board has "high hopes" that Moldenhauer will meet what Norvell called Moldenhauer's "self-imposed" deadline of getting a temporary casino up and running by Jan. 31. Work continued in preparation for the pouring of cement to create the slab on which a "tent" building is to house the temporary casino at the racino site in south Raton east of Interstate 25 and south of Hereford Avenue. The building is to be provided by an Albuquerque company, so transportation time should not be lengthy. In addition, Norvell pointed out, the construction crew planned to use a quick-setting cement. The construction site superintendent on Thursday told The Range the cement is scheduled to be poured Saturday, Jan. 9, and should set, or cure, within two or three days after it is poured. He expects the "tent" building to be set up soon after that. Norvell added, though, that the task of setting up the temporary casino still has key things to accomplish such as acquiring the 300 slots machines it is to have and setting up proper security measures. Norvell said there is a lot to be done "in a short amount of time" before the Jan. 31 deadline. "We're not going to be mad if it's Feb. 1 (when the temporary casino opens)," Norvell said. "If it's March 1, we're not going to be very happy." Norvell said the gaming board will wait until after Jan. 31 before taking any action regarding the Raton project if the opening of the temporary casino is further delayed. He said there is a variety of measures, including fines, the board could take to try to get "the licensee to perform." For now, though, the board is "cheerleading" for the project to move forward, Norvell said. He said the board's staff is in daily contact with Moldenhauer or one of his "operatives." Norvell also said the board is "in the mode of urging (Moldenhauer) on to get this done for the sake of Raton." The casino operations are also of concern to the New Mexico Racing Commission because casino money will build the horseracing purse fund - where the prize money comes from - for the inaugural race meet scheduled to begin May 28. The racing commission is expected to get an update on the Raton project when the commission meets Jan. 20. The racing commission - which issued the Raton racing license last January - wants to see Horse Racing at Raton not only have the temporary casino up and running by Jan. 31, but has also indicated that by that date it wants the group to have a general manager hired and a contract signed for the installation of the barns. Prior to The Range's Thursday afternoon press time, Moldenhauer had not responded to an e-mail sent to him earlier in the week inquiring about the timetable for the "tent" building to go up and the status of acquiring slot machines and planning for security. He also had not returned a phone message left Thursday morning at his Toronto-area office. Moldenhauer has said the racetrack and barns will be erected in the spring. The permanent casino - to house 600 slots - is expected to be built after the first racing season. Late last month, Moldenhauer said he remains the sole investor in the Raton project, but hopes to add a "New Mexico partner" in the first part of the new year. He said he has received a number of inquiries from potential investors within the state and he hopes to select one from among the interested parties. |


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