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State regulators approve rules for greyhound payouts

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September 28th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has approved rules for consolidating the greyhound racing in the state to one track and paying off the dog owners who do not want to continue racing. Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko, says the vote last week is one of the last steps in the process. “It’s been kind of a lengthy process that we believe the public has had quite a bit of input in. And those rules were final adopted,” Ohorilko says. He says the system for the payouts could be in place in a couple of months.

Ohorilko says they may have to appear before the administrative rules committee, but if there are no changes, they expect the rules to be adopted on November 18th. The dog tracks in Dubuque and Council Bluffs agreed to make annual payments to a fund to get out of greyhound racing. “It equates to 72 million dollars I believe over seven years. Half of that money is to be distributed to participants and stakeholders of the industry,” Ohorilko says.

Under the agreement, the Council Bluffs track will end greyhound racing this year, and the Iowa Greyhound Association will take over the operation of the Dubuque track.

(Radio Iowa)