Racing commission defers action on Coronado proposal

The New Mexico Racing Fee apparently will resolve later whether or not to approve or reject Coronado Companions’ utility for a sixth license that might enable it to construct a horse-racing observe and on line casino in Tucumcari.

The fee mentioned the appliance and two different objects throughout a closed government session throughout its common assembly Thursday, but it surely took no motion when open session resumed.

Albuquerque choose Nancy Franchini on June 3, granting Coronado’s writ of mandamus request to compel the fee to carry out its official duties, subsequently ordered the fee to behave inside 90 days whether or not to simply accept or reject the license request.

The racing fee’s subsequent common conferences are scheduled for July 21 and Aug. 18, each which might be throughout the 90-day timeframe to adjust to Franchini’s order.

In the course of the public remark portion of the assembly Thursday, Coronado Companions’ lawyer and principal Warren Frost of Logan made a pitch for the Tucumcari racetrack and on line casino. He provided to reply any questions concerning the utility and invited commissioners to tour the proposed website on the town’s east facet.

“I don’t suppose there’s that many state companies that may have such an vital affect on a neighborhood,” Frost mentioned. “That is going to create a brand new racetrack and create over 500 jobs. It might be game-changer for not solely our county and our entities, however the whole japanese facet of the state. I would really like you to maintain that in thoughts — that the financial engine that this sixth racetrack could be should you think about granting this license.”

Frost instructed the Quay County Solar earlier this month even when the racing fee rejects the appliance, he would attraction that call to Franchini, who holds jurisdiction over the case.

“If she finds that the Fee’s causes for denying the license are invalid, she will organize them to challenge us a license,” Frost said in an e-mail.

The fee had deliberate to award a license in late 2019, however that was derailed by an injunction by the Lordsburg applicant.

The fee had deliberate to debate and probably act on a license in April 2020, however newly elected governor Michelle Lujan Grisham fired the commissioners and changed them earlier than the assembly happened.

The difficulty of a sixth license by no means was positioned on the brand new fee’s agenda till January this yr, after Frost filed his writ petition.

Franchini rejected arguments from racing fee director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo throughout a Could listening to that it couldn’t award the sixth remaining horse-racing license due to quite a lot of points, together with the fragility of the thoroughbred and racing industries in New Mexico.

“Mr. Trejo’s opinion that ‘it simply isn’t the proper time’ to think about and utility for the sixth racetrack license doesn’t have an effect on the NMHRC’s obligation to challenge a choice on the Petitioner’s utility,” Franchini wrote in her ruling.