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Updated: 8:34 PM Jul 10, 2009
Nitro Mayor Supports Smoking Ban Exemption at Tri-State Racetrack and Casino
An exemption for the smoking ban is now being supported by Nitro Mayor Rusty Casto. He said the city will do whatever it takes to support Tri-State Racetrack and Casino to get the exemption passed.
Posted: 6:50 PM Jul 9, 2009Reporter: Kallie Cart; Amanda Barren Email Address: kallie.cart@wsaz.com; amanda.barren@wsaz.com |
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59 Comments 
UPDATED @ 8pm Friday
NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- An exemption for the smoking ban is now being supported by Nitro Mayor Rusty Casto.
He said the city will do whatever it takes to support Tri-State Racetrack and Casino to get the exemption passed. Casto said the track spent $2.5 million to put equipment in to pump smoke out of the building.
And not only that, he said the city of Nitro has lost at least a $100,000 in revenue from the track.
"I support the smoking ban everywhere else, but out there to totally ban smoking period is a bit extreme, and it's costed a lot of people, including the city of Nitro, a lot of money," Casto said.
City Council meets in two weeks, so we will find out then if Tri-State takes them up on the offer to help. And if you read between the lines, Dan Adkins who is vice president of Tri-State's parent company said they'll seek whatever remedy needed to change the rules.
They just don't want to go to court.
ORIGINAL STORY
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Officials with Tri-State Racetrack and Casino were at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Board meeting Thursday asking for an exemption from the smoking ban. If that doesn't work, officials say they will try to get an exemption by other means.
Dan Adkins, vice-president of the racetrack's parent company, told board members that Tri-State has lost $15 million. He says they track their customers and he can attribute $9 million of the loss to the smoking ban.
Adkins asked board members to consider an exemption. He says they have the capability to create a smoking and a non-smoking section in the casino.
Board President Brenda Isaac says she is not inclined to making an exemption. She says research shows separated ventilation systems do not work and that it would not be fair to other business owners.
Adkins told WSAZ.com that he is "prepared going forward to seek other remedies."
"I think it lies in the hands of the state. The Table Games Act has a clear preemption of any additional law or rule that may be enacted on a gaming facility," Adkins said.
Adkins says he hopes to work this out with the health board, but says this could turn into a legal issue.
Board members were critical of Tri-State because at the time the smoking ban was being discussed, Tri-State didn't have any objections and said they would comply.
Adkins says they were supportive if they were treated fairly. He says the uniqueness of the racetrack in Kanawha County should make them exempt.
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Latest Comments
Hey Pablo, actually the 'good old days' did allow people to smoke, gamble, drink and yes here in WV even have prostitution. Also, yes the wealthy do pay the bulk of the taxes.
To Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 10, 2009 at 02:44 AM "should be left up to the owners of the business." THE LOTTERY OWNS THE CASINO! So in reality it is the state government that owes the casinos!
Why are you non-smokers saying the machines are "tight" when they just had a 2 million dollar payout?
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