PRESS RELEASE

OCALA, FL – On January 30, the House Commerce Committee released a proposed committee substitute for CS/HB 881 that reveals the full scope of this renewed decoupling assault on Florida’s Thoroughbred industry.

“1/ST wants out of live racing,” said Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. “They want to keep the slot machines and cardrooms that Florida horsemen made possible, walk away from the industry that built Gulfstream Park’s value, and leave behind void permits and abandoned obligations.

“This bill is their exit strategy.

“The training center provisions aren’t about preserving racing. They’re a real estate play. Build an equestrian venue immune from local oversight, starve it of sustainable revenue, let the racing operation collapse, retain the asset. Horsemen fund the construction; 1/ST collects the residual value.

“Preemption of local zoning authority should alarm every community that values self-determination, especially residents near Palm Meadows in Broward County, with no say over what 1/ST builds in their backyard.

“And when racing fails, the permits become void. No recovery. No reissuance. The door closes permanently. That’s not an accident. That’s the plan.

“1/ST wants to dismantle both the FTBOA and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. This bill is the price they want us to pay for opposing decoupling and holding them accountable to Florida’s breeding and racing industry.

“They want credit for finally acknowledging Florida’s export breeding economy while deliberately excluding advance deposit wagering and other wagering formats from purse calculations. They’ve written a funding mechanism that captures a shrinking slice of yesterday’s handle while ignoring every growth channel. This is sabotage, not oversight.”

FTBOA President Valerie Dailey added: “Florida’s Thoroughbred industry has honored its obligations to this state for generations – creating jobs, preserving farmland, and supporting rural communities. CS/HB 881 walks away from that partnership. Florida deserves legislation that strengthens this industry, not one that allows license holders to exit while leaving horsemen, breeders, and communities behind.”

“The FTBOA stands ready to modernize Chapter 550 the right way,” Powell said. “Capture all Florida wagering, including ADW. Fund export incentives properly. Preserve industry governance. That’s the path forward.

“But let there be no confusion about what PCS for CS/HB 881 represents. This isn’t modernization. This isn’t compromise. This is 1/ST’s bill, at Florida horsemen’s expense.”