What Would Charlie Do?

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Published: August 15, 2012 08:07 pm EDT

On the eve of his induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and days before the anticipated report from the OMAFRA panel, Charles Juravinski gives his take on the slots-at-racetracks situation on this edition of Trot Radio.

What 82-year-old Charles Juravinski built in horse racing as the founder of Flamboro Downs has transformed into a tremendous legacy for the people of Hamilton. Since he sold Flamboro Downs to Magna Entertainment in 2002 for $72 million (the track is now owned by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation), Charles and his wife Margaret have donated $53 million to Hamilton Health Sciences — including a recent gift of $10 million to a new mental health facility called the Margaret and Charles Juravinski Centre for Integrated Healthcare.

Juravinski is humbled by the honour of his Builder category induction and offered up his own report to the Ontario panel assigned with shaping the future of Ontario horse racing.

"I did appear before the committee - that's Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Snobelen and Mr. Wilkinson - and I'll give you the thrust that I gave them...I suggested to the committee that the industry should give half of [the slot revenue] back. In other words, give the government something like $175 million back and operate on half that. And I can tell you from previous experience having been in the business, I would be more than pleased to operate for that half-full glass than an empty glass and I know that I'd be able to pay my bills and so forth."

Juravinski also feels that the government should set up different site-holder agreements with different tracks since a one-size-fits-all model can't apply to Ontario's track operators.

"What I suggested is four different types of site-holder's agreements, total transparency and audited financial statements on a yearly basis. Try it on for size for five years and let the total industry sort itself out."

To listen to the full Trot Radio interview with Juravinski and Norm Borg, click the play button below.

Episode 272 – Charles Juravinski

Audio Format: MP3 audio

Host: Norm Borg

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