By Mike Kaszuba
A House panel gave approval Wednesday to the so-called racino initiative, a plan to expand gambling at the state's two horse racing tracks and possibly provide money for among other things a new Minnesota Vikings stadium.
In a quick vote, the House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Committee passed the plan and Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, the panel's chair, said he gave the proposal a hearing "to keep this bill alive." But while racino advocates immediately cast the vote as a sign the plan was "gaining steam" at the State Capitol, the proposal's prospects still face large uncertainties.
Juhnke said that Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who remains at best luke warm to racino, was "still up in the air" on the proposal, but suggested that a racino bill could still become law without the governor choosing to sign it.
Juhnke also indicated that the strategy may be to build momentum for racino, with the realization that it it may not pass this year. "Many of these issues take multiple years," he told reporters.
