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News conference at Laurel Park.
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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LAUREL, MD. 12-17-09---At a Thursday morning news conference, Laurel Park revealed the facts concerning its advanced status towards obtaining permit approvals to allow for the facilities, infrastructure, road network, and utility capacities required for a proposed Video Lottery Terminal Facility (VLT) venue should Arundel Mills zoning fail to pass Bill 82-09 t Monday’s Anne Arundel County Council meeting and the bidding process is re-opened.
“The Mills is going to create 4,000 jobs, which could be created here,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas. “The risk is you are destroying 15,000 jobs (in the racing industry). The best move from our perspective is vote no on 82-09, wait and allow us back in the bidding process.”
Laurel Park is positioned to be years ahead of Arundel Mills in generating revenue and jobs. Laurel Park project manager Walter Lynch provided a detailed listing of the permits issued and approved for the Laurel Park property and the current and existing time frame of permit approvals for Arundel Mills, which to date has yet to secure any permits. (Please see below)
“Something like FedEx Field takes years and years and years to get through,” said Lynch, who was project manager for the Washington Redskins new stadium. “Laurel Park, since 2003, started getting permits for an eventual slots facility. It wasn’t until last year, 2008, to actually achieve those permits.”
“I’ve looked at the timeline articulated for permitting at the Mills and 5-1/2 months from the time they start, assuming they’re given approval by zoning, to the time they start breaking ground and building, that’s unrealistic,” added Anne Arundel County land-use attorney Harry Blumenthal. “It redefines the definition of impossible.”
In other news today, Laurel Racing Assoc., Inc., (LRA) has taken an appeal to the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals concerning the award of the Anne Arundel County VLT license to PPE Casino Resorts LLC. Laurel Racing was disqualified in February, when it challenged the legality of the “initial license fee” (ILF) requirement and the State refused Laurel Racing’s offer to place the funds in escrow until the legal issue was resolved.
If LRA had submitted the ILF but was not awarded the VLT license, it would have forfeited $28.5 million. If it did not submit the funds, it risked disqualification in a situation where it had no available timely, legal or administrative remedy.
LRA expressed its legal challenge to the ILF requirement, and offered to place the funds in escrow. The Location Commission refused to accept LRA’s offer.
This appeal asserts that the Location Commission’s refusal to follow standard procurement procedures, and in waiving certain bid requirements for other bidders, acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner in violation of LRA’s legal and constitutional rights.
Laurel Racing’s right to appeal the award was confirmed by the Court of Appeals’ decision last summer.
According to Alan M. Rifkin, attorney for Laurel Racing, “We are confident that Laurel Racing will ultimately prevail and either have its bid reinstated or the Anne Arundel County license will be legally required to be rebid.”