Applicants for racino down to 5
Three are seeking to build racetrack in Clovis area
The number of companies seeking to build New Mexico’s sixth horseracing track and slot machine casino has shrunk to five.
Eight groups told the state Racing Commission they intended to submit applications for the so-called racino, but only five filed applications by Friday’s deadline. The commission released the applications Tuesday.
Three of the five applicants filed competing proposals for a racino in the Clovis area. One company proposed a facility in Tucumcari, and one is seeking an application to build in Lordsburg.
Noticeably absent from the applications was any proposal for Raton. The Racing Commission in 2008 approved an application to build the
sixth racino in that northeast New Mexico town, but the plan fell apart two years later.
Two groups had notified the Racing Commission that they intended to file applications for a racino in Raton, but neither did.
A license to operate a racino is one of the biggest plums the state government can dish out, and the Racing Commission is on track to issue the license before Gov. Susana Martinez leaves office at year’s end. The governor appoints the five commissioners.
At least three of the five applicants for the license have deep political ties to Martinez, although she has pledged the selection process won’t be politicized.
In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state’s five racinos in Albuquerque, Ruidoso, Farmington, Hobbs and Sunland Park had an average net win from slot machines of more than $46 million. From the net win, racinos must pay taxes, contribute to racing purses and cover other expenses.
The Racing Commission announced in May it was accepting applications for the new racino. It now will set a schedule for public presentations by the applicants.
The state’s agreements with American Indian tribes that operate casinos provide for a maximum of six racinos. In exchange for limiting offreservation gaming, the state receives a share of the tribes’ take from their slot machines.
Here are snapshots of the applicants for the sixth racino license:
Clovis Racetrack and Casino, which is seeking to build in the Clovis area.
The majority owner of the company is Shaun Hubbard, grandson of longtime Ruidoso Downs racetrack owner R.D. Hubbard. Shaun Hubbard was president and general manager of Ruidoso Downs Race Track & Casino prior to its sale last year by R.D. Hubbard.
One of Shaun Hubbard’s partners is Johnny Cope of Hobbs, who made a fortune in oil field-related businesses and was a major donor to Gov. Bill Richardson. Cope served in the Richardson administration as chairman of the state Transportation Commission.
Shaun Hubbard’s group is represented by Albuquerque lawyer Robert Doughty III, who has represented the Martinez administration and is a gubernatorial appointee to the University of New Mexico’s board of regents.
R.D. Hubbard, his wife and Hubbard companies have been major campaign contributors to Martinez.
L&M Entertainment, which is seeking to build in the Clovis area.
L&M is a joint venture of Laguna Development Corp., which is owned by Laguna Pueblo, and Miller Companies of Hinsdale, Ill.
Rob Miller is founder and CEO of Miller Companies, which is a holding company for businesses owned by Miller. The company provides financing for gaming ventures.
Miller and his wife were major donors to Martinez’s re-election campaign in 2014. Miller also contributed $25,000 to the Republican Governors Association in 2016 while Martinez was its chairwoman, according to political donation data compiled by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics.
Assisting L&M Entertainment are Albuquerque lawyer and lobbyist Pat Rogers, a former Republican national committeeman, former Republican Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and lobbyist Joe Thompson, a former Republican state representative.
FHR-Atlas, which is seeking to build in the Clovis area.
FHR-Atlas is owned by Full House Resorts of Las Vegas, Nev., a publicly held company.
Full House Resorts owns, leases, develops and operates gaming facilities, according to a news release. Its properties include casinos in Mississippi, Colorado, Indiana and Nevada.
Coronado Partners, which is seeking to build in Tucumcari.
Its managing members are Tom Krumland, an auto dealer in Roswell and Carlsbad, and former Las Vegas, Nev., gaming executive Lawrence “Larry” Tombari. Krumland, his wife and his auto group have been major political donors to Martinez.
Other members of Coronado Partners are Logan attorney Warren Frost and Dianne Chalmers, widow of Albuquerque car dealer Don Chalmers. Frost, Tombari and Chalmers also have been political contributors to Martinez.
Hidalgo Downs, which is seeking to build in Lordsburg.
Denis Floge, a former casino manager in New Mexico, is the CEO of Hidalgo Downs. The company’s application lists a Boise, Idaho, address for Floge. The application by Hidalgo Downs lists its partners as Manuel Paul Sanchez of Clovis, Calif., lawyer Francis Lamebull of Wapato, Wash., Luis Armando Gonzales of Tucson, Ariz., and Paul A. Martinez of Las Cruces.