The walking death of pari-mutuel racing in Tennessee, Part 5
by Frank Cotolo
Part 1 is here.
Part 2 is here.
Part 3 is here.
Part 4 is here.
Most subjects I may study or learn from a personal relationship could always leave me with some knowledge about them. It was never the case when it came to legislative matters. Along with learning law one must learn its language and lingo and the nuances of its particular vocabulary. These are some reasons why I did not believe the person answering the phone was at the Tennessee State Racing Commission.
“Hello, sir,” I said. “Do I have the correct number?”
“Who are you looking to talk to?”
“Someone at the Tennessee State Racing Commission.”
“And what is it you’d like?”
“You are working at the offices of Tennessee State Racing Commission?”
“The office. One. And yes. That is why I answered by saying Tennessee State Racing Commission. How may I help you?”
“Is it possible I may I speak with the commissioner?”
“You are speaking to the commissioner.”
“For horse racing in Tennessee.”
“Yes. And who are you?”
I told him my name and said I was a journalist for the sport and I was doing an article for a horse racing industry publication. He told me his name but here I will call him Mr. Conrad.
“With all due respect,” I said, “I admit to being ignorant about Tennessee horse racing. I thought it was illegal.”
Mr. Conrad snickered and said, “Yes, most people in the state are still unaware it is legal.”
“I do not mean to sarcastic Mr. Conrad but if you keep it a secret the odds are miserable it will become popular.”
Mr. Conrad laughed. A good sign he was not surprised why I called and was ready to talk. My first impression was good and bad. Good because he had a humble way about him that wreaked of southern hospitality and patience. Bad because he had a humble way about him that wreaked of southern hospitality and patience.
I told him I was a horse racing journalist and said, “Maybe you’ve heard of me?”
“Sorry. I have not. But I am new to this specific area.”
“I have many questions about the law and what it will mean to the horse racing industry.”
“And I have the time to tell you all I know. Not doing much here.”
Mr. Conrad was actually doing nothing. He had no secretary or staff. Just an office which was official and necessary due to the law. About that law? Here is an info dump:
A pari-mutuel law permitting betting on horse racing was passed and titled The Racing Control Act in 1987. It legalized pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing and included the establishment of the Tennessee State Racing Commission to oversee the sport.
“But,” Mr. Conrad said, “it was one of those stick-in-the-last-minute laws tagged onto a new bill about something entirely different. Don’t know exactly how that works but it’s done a lot. Only takes a few backers in a committee of some sort to get added so that when the main bill is passed the last-minute addition becomes law.”
It was Mr. Conrad who cleared up all of my challenges understanding the mechanics of legislation.
“Do you know who was behind getting it tagged to another law?” I said.
“I suspect who ever it was is not interested in making news about it,” Mr. Conrad said. “I just got the job because I’m acquainted with commission paperwork.”
“I can get all the information I want from you, then?”
“Anything I know, yes. That’s why I’m here.”
“All activity concerning racetracks and regulations will go through your staff?”
“Just through me. No staff. Anything and everything lands on this desk. Where it goes from there is another bunch of business.”
“First and foremost, I guess, is building a racetrack or two. Getting investors and the matter of breeding in state.”
“Yes,” Mr. Conrad said. “We have to build the industry in Tennessee from the ground up.”
There was far too much for me to learn with a single phone call. Mr. Conrad said he was open to talk to me any time about updates and I said I was going to make a list of questions for him and wanted to follow all updates.
“Fine with me. I’ll be here,” Mr. Conrad said. “During office hours that is.”
But I would not be as available. I was about to fly to New York with Joe and Wolf and pitch a book biography. And there was a matter of the weeknight radio show and the TV show and as important as all that, Natasha. Adding to it all I was sitting on a news scoop and I was not about to allow the ton of work I was responsible for on the Nashville Network and other Wolfman business stop me from a spectacular story about the horse racing industry.
