Scarborough Downs issues Memo on Biddeford Downs
Bill MacDonald, Webmaster
April 22, 2011
Sharon Terry issued a Memo of Understanding to the horsemen of Scarborough Downs on Friday, April 21. Terry is the president of Davric Maine Corp. who owns and operates Scarborough Downs. The memo was handed out in the race paddock during the race card on Friday. It is not clear if the memo was sent to the members of the press.

In the memo, Terry put to words what the management of Scarborough Downs has been promising the horsemen verbally in meetings held since Biddeford Downs has been in the works. Those concerns included how Biddeford Downs would be designed, the racing season’s length, stabling and Maine owned and bred races.

Although some horsemen were disappointed that specific details were not mentioned in the memo, the fact that Davric plans to form a committee to help with the design of Biddeford Downs is a huge step in the right direction considering the fiasco that happened at Hollywood Slots in Bangor where the horsemen’s concerns were not listened to.

The only criticism of the memo can be taken with the provisions that are listed at the beginning of the memo where it seem that the Downs is taking full credit for the tasks completed in the past, while they did work with other entities to accomplish those tasks. Considering the political atmosphere at the present time, it is a criticism that can be set aside for the greater good of the industry to see that Biddeford Downs becomes a reality.

Davric should be commended with the issuance of this memo. Knowing that the horsemen’s concerns are being listened to by management and their willingness to work with the horsemen to shape the future should further the resolve of the horsemen to support Davric’s bid to get Biddeford Downs passed by the legislature during their current session.

The memo in its entirety is below:

Memorandum of Understanding
Concerning The Goals And Purpose Of Biddeford Downs

Davric Maine Corporation, which owns and operates Scarborough Downs, enters into this memorandum of understanding with owners, trainers and drivers who regularly race at the Downs to reaffirm its commitment that expanded gaming in Maine, including at the proposed Biddeford Downs, should be always be arranged and conducted in a manner that benefits the important harness racing industry and allows the industry a chance to compete and recognized the natural right of horsemen and women who have been loyal to the Downs and the entire industry to fair treatment.

We note initially that the Downs commitment to the foregoing include the following provisions:

1. The Downs drafted and fought for passage of the legislation that requires extensive live racing as a condition precedent to the licensing of OTBs and simulcast facilities, including simulcasting at the Downs and the operation of the OTB owned by Davric’s president;

2. The Downs drafted and fought for passage of the legislation that requires commercial tracks in the populous part of the state to provide at least 100 days of live racing each year;

3. The Downs was one of the first tracks in the country to split revenues evenly between purses and operating expenses;

4. The Downs drafted, negotiated and won agreement with the investor who sought to introduce gaming at Bangor Raceway and the so-called Industry Agreement, which led to the amendment of Maine’s racino law sharing with the entire industry revenues from the Bangor racino that the investor would otherwise have been allowed to keep largely to himself.

Consistent with Davric’s desire, evidenced by the foregoing, that expanded gaming should serve and not replace the entire harness racing community and in particular the horsemen who depend on the Downs for their family’s livelihood, Davric commits as follows concerning Biddeford Downs:

1. With the assistant of the MHHA and the MSBOA, Davric will form a committee that includes horsemen and women who stable at the Downs to work on the design of Biddeford Downs’ facilities for racing and stabling;

2. Davric will use its best efforts to ensure that the design of Biddeford Downs includes an all-weather track;

3. Davric will use its best effort to ensure that with the opening of Biddeford Downs racing opportunities in Maine are expanded and that the racing season at the Downs is at least 40 weeks – and preferable longer;

4. Davric will work with our existing horsemen to ensure that they have adequate and affordable stabling facilities.

5. Davric will negotiate in good faith with the MHHA to provide an expanded and active series of races for Maine owned and bred horses, to ensure that Biddeford Downs leads to the expansion of Maine horse farming, which will benefit Maine horsemen and the entire state by expanding the productive open farmland our sport proudly maintains

Executed at Scarborough, Maine this 21st day of April 2011.

Davric Maine Corporation

By Sharon Terry

Its President