TROJAN HORSE TRACK

To the Editor:

There are plans for a very large (supposedly "third largest of its kind in the USA") horse race track and casino in Preston County, WV on I68 near Bruceton Mills. There was a town hall meeting held January 31st in Kingwood and one will be held February 3rd, 7PM, at the Bruceton Mills VFD with the promoter, Steven Garvin of Clarksburg, WV.

I went and protested its development on Saturday, January 31st, in Kingwood. However, most were there in support of the track because the promoter has promised hotels, restaurants, outlet stores, a shopping center, an indoor water-park, horse arena, Girl/Boy Scout centers, therapeutic horseback riding for the handicapped, museum of WV culture and music, a free Charter High School (Texas Holdem High?), an extension of the WVU Veterinary School, etc. ( I told Mr. Garvin that he and his organization have promised everything but a coal mine and a bronze plant to the people of Preston County!) Mr. Garvin even promised a fertilizer industry from all the horses. I told him that the fertilizer was already pretty deep right there in the Kingwood Community Building--and it was shovel-ready for Obama's Stimulus Program!

Who can be against a free high school , world-class horse arena or against therapeutic horseback riding for the handicapped? But, many horse lovers have been duped into supporting gambling on horse races and a casino. The promises of this equine utopia at Las Preston are all a pipedream. This dog-and-pony show is about gambling--pure and simple! Do not sign the petition in favor of the park unless you understand that it is not about horses--it is about gambling!

I am concerned that the County Commission and Delegate Larry Williams are being pressured to support this plan. I am not certain how Las Preston will be funded. Perhaps there are plans for a tax break (TIF) and perhaps even other state funding discussed? Mr. Garvin was unclear about funding. Please contact the Preston County Commission at 304-329-1805 or email: commission@prestoncountywv.org and Delegate Larry Williams, Tunnelton (Charleston: 304-340-3160) email: lwillia1@mail.wvnet.edu and voice your opinions against this gambling Trojan horse track and casino.

These are hard times! A lot of our people are out of work in Preston County. I know that. There are a lot of promises of jobs in this plan. Prestonians might be down but we are proud--and we are definitely not out. We should not prostitute ourselves for gambling--no matter what is promised! (I remember "free prescriptions" were promised to our senior citizens, if we allowed a state lottery.)

I am told that a tribe of Hopi Indians in the southwest were approached by gambling interests and promised better schools, hospitals, roads, etc, if they would just allow a casino to be built on their reservation. However, I am told that the Hopis responded, "No thanks. We will not seek to benefit ourselves at the expense of the weakness of our fellow man." We should not either. Gambling is wrong. It ruins lives and destroys families. And, we should not profit at another's loss.


Pastor Terry Hagedorn and Pastor Chad Fletcher
Calvary Baptist Church, Reedsville, WV 26547
304-864-3870 http://mountainmanna.com

"Pointing Mountaineers to Mount Calvary"