"The voters of Broward County gave the pari-mutuels a real shot at success when they voted "yes" to slot casinos. Operators knew that they had limited time before they had equal competition from the Seminole Tribe. Instead of vying for the players by offering incentives equal to or better than their competition, they went for all they could get out of the player: tight slots (regardless of their posted 92 percent return), $6 valet rates, $8 drinks and, by industry standards, poor promotional programs.

Now that the tribe seemingly has the upper hand, the pari-mutuels are crying "foul." We are players and we can visit a Seminole casino for three to four hours and enjoy the fun of playing the slots with the feeling that there is a "win" possibility in our play. We valet park free and can enjoy a quality meal at a reasonable price. At the pari-mutuels, I have gone as much as 40 plays with one or two small payoffs."

Get the Story:
Burt Bennett: Pari-mutuels have no reason to cry about deal with Seminoles (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 12/7)
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