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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1989)
Simulcasting affects distribution of area gambling dollars By Steve Sipple Suff Reporter Simulcasting appears to be paying big dividends in die state in the battle for thoroughbred and dog racing gambling dollars in Nebraska and Iowa. Through March 13, an average of 7,643 patrons per race day either at tended the live thoroughbred racing meet at Grand Island’s Fonner Park or viewed the races via simulcast in Lincoln, Omaha, Columbus, or South Sioux City. The bettors wagered an average of $760374 per day. In comparison. Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, which began racing horses for the first time March 1, has averaged 4,471 fans who have bet an average of $314,933. Bluffs Run, a greyhound race track in Council Bluffs, Iowa, has averaged 2,093 fans per session who have wagered S247.865. The combined Bluffs Run and Prairie Meadows averages are 6,564 fans per race day who bet $562,798. That’s 1,079 less fans per day and SI97376 less wagered than at Fonner Park and the simulcast outlets. Fonner Park’s on-track figures are 3,780 and $320,838. Hugh Miner Jr., general manager at Fonner Park, said that while the current figures indicate Nebraska’s thoroughbred racing industry is above par compared to Iowa’s dog and horse racing figures, he isn’t concerned about competition from the state. “They’re 300 miles from here,’’ Miner said, referring to Prairie Mead ows. “We’re more concerned with keeping things in order here (at Fon ner Park). I’m not a numbers cruncher anyway. I’m not going to worry what other tracks are doing.’’ However, Miner said simulcasting continues to help both his track and the state’s entire race industry. “You got to bring the product to the (bettors),” Miner said. Miner said Fonner Park’s daily attendance and mutual handle totals would be higher if not for cold tem peratures that plagued the meet dur ing its first few weeks. The meet, which began Feb. 16, lost two days earlier this year because of adverse Professor Seymore Tan invites you to try a FREE ; , k TANNING SESSION r with the purchase of 8 30-MINUTE SESSIONS : for $33.00 * With this ad only. Not valid with other gr; offers. This special expires 4-30-89 ' , Gunney Complex, Chair cxpac^) 245 n. 13th 475-5550 I Professional Optical See Professional Optical for a progressive look in eyewear. t 9-5 Mon.-Fri. 9-12 Sat. Hlhurs. after 5 pm by appt. only 402/467-4300 I®* Between “0” & “R” Streets On Cotner L.A. Eyeworks * Oliver Peoples Persol weather. Iowa’s inability to simulcast its oniy thoroughbred race meet makes irrelevant comparisons between daily attendance and handle totals with Nebraska, said Stan Bowker, general manager at Prairie Meadows. Bowker said he expects his track’s mutual handle figures to rise as people become more accustomed with betting. But the track’s $70.44 per capita wagering average is higher than what track officials anticipated, Bowker said. “Canterbury Downs (in Shakopec, Minn.) averaged only $77 per capita the whole year in 1984-85, their first year,” Bowker said. “Ours will go up throughout the year.” Both Bowker and Miner agreed that Prairie Meadows and Fonner Park aren’t in competition for pa trons. But Tim McNeil, director of publicity at Bluffs Run, said Ak-Sar Bcn’s simulcasting of Fonner Park’s races affects the dog track. At Ak-Sar-Bcn on Thursday, 1,840 patrons bet $238,911 on the Fonner Park races. At Bluffs Run, 1,714 bet $199,586. o o 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 200000 400000 bouuuu 800000 John Bruce/Daily Nebraskan ^ . * NU golf hampered by youth, weather By Jeff Apel Senior Hditor Despite seeing his Cornhusker men’s golf team finish 14th in the 15 team South Florida Invitational last weekend in Tampa, Fla., Nebraska Coach Larry Romjue refused to be discouraged. Romjue said he wasn’t discour aged about Nebraska’s finish because the Cornhuskers have not had the benefit of practicing outdoors. He said that lack of practice hurt Ne braska throughout the tournament. Nebraska opened the 54-holc tour nament by recording a 313 total on Friday, then registered a 292 total on Saturday. The Huskers closed out the tournament by tallying a 312 score on Sunday. The Huskers’ 917 total was 51 strokes behind North Carolina, which won the tournament with an 867 total. South Florida finished 2nd with an 872 score, followed by Central Flor ida with 874, Kentucky with 875, Florida Southern and South Alabama with 884 and Tampa with 888. Kansas finished 8th with an 891 total, while Memphis State and Vir ginia Tech tied for 9th with 902 scores. Stetson University of Deland, Fla., finished 11th with a 903 total, followed by Michigan with a 907 mark, Jacksonville with a 908, Ne braska, and Florida International with a 933. The most disappointing aspect about the tournament was Nebraska’s third-day total of 312, Romjuc said. He said he expected the Huskcrs to do better after they recorded a 292 total on Saturday. “We played very poorly the first round, then came back and shot very well the second,” Romjuc said. “I thought we would shoot well during the third round, but we didn’t. We ended up only showing up once out of three rounds.” Romjuc said Nebraska was both ered by its lack of practice and a different type of course throughout the tournament. He said the Florida course gave Nebraska trouble be cause its greens had a different type of grass than is found in the Midwest and the fairways were thin — meaning they didn’t have a lot of grass. FINANCIAL AID TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL AT UNL The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will accept UNL Summer Aid Applications until March 31st, 1989. Obtain these applications from and return them to Room 20, Administration Bldg. Students must know the suntmer sessions they will attend and the number of hours they will take in each session in order to complete the Summer Aid Application accurately. Summer Sessions Bulletins are currently available from Window 107C, Adm . or 335 Adm. Students interested in Stafford Loans (Guaranteed Student Loans) for summer school arc required to complete a UNL Summer Aid Application in addition to the Stafford Loan Application. OFFICE OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID 20 Adm. Bldg. 472-2030 UNL does not discriminate in its academic, admissions or employment programs and abides by all federal regulations pertaining to same. $.50 OFF 1 Any pizza 475-6363! NAME_| ADDRESS_| DATE__ | EXPIRES 3-31-89 ■■$i"oo'dF"F"1 Any Pizza Ordered 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 475-6363! Name_ I ADDRESS_ | DATE__ | EXPIRES 3-31-89 » ——— — oJ Romjue said Nebraska was also hampered by its youth. Two of the Huskers five players that participated in the tournament -- Kurt Gerstner and Mike Troy -- arc in their first year at Nebraska. Gerstner, a transfer from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., finished in 69th place with a 231 total. Troy, a transfer from Butler County College in El Dorado, Kan., finished 79th with a 239. Nebraska’s lop finishers were seniors John Dinnebier and Mike Rack, who tied for 56th place with 229 totals. The Huskers’ remaining rnmiv'lilnr u/!ic tr»ff Raff^rlV \X/hf> finished in 81 st place with a 241 total. South Florida’s Mark Turlington was the individual medalist with a 212 total. Romjuc said he is confident Ne braska will improve once the weather allows it to practice outdoors. The Huskers’ next competition is Friday, when they travel to Montgomery, Ala., to compete in the Southeastern Intercollegiate Tournament Romjuc said Nebraska will pre pare for the tournament by attending classes. He said the Huskers will not practice because they can’t get out side. Romjuc said the weather will pre vent Nebraska from reaching its full potential until after spring break. ‘‘After vacation, that’s when I’ll make a real evaluation,” he said. “I know they’re capable of playing. They just haven’t reached their po tential yet.” Ohio St. wins; Nee says NU never reached potential NIT from Page 9 Nebraska, which outshot the Buckeyes 52 percent to 48 percent in the first half, never regained the shooting touch in the second hall. After Johnson’s basket pulled Nebraska to within 43-39 in the opening minute of the second half, Ohio Slate exploded. The Buckeyes scored 15 points to Nebraska’s four during the game’s nexl six minutes to run out to a 58-42 lead with 12:51 remaining. But the the Huskcrs retaliated w ith a 15-6 run to cut the Buckeye lead to 64-57 on a basket by Johnson with 7:21 left in the game. However, Matcen, who led the Buckeyes with 20 points, scored Ohio Slate’s next 10 points to enable the Buckeyes to pull away lor the win. Ohio State connected on nine of 11 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. Owens, a freshman from Mans field, Ohio, scored a career-high IH points for the Huskcrs.
