Casino described as threat to funding of racing industry

A LARGE casino on the site of the Phoenix Park racecourse would have a "devastating impact" on the funding of Irish racing through on-course betting levies, according to Mr Michael Osborne, senior steward at the

Turf Club.

Speaking on the third day of the hearing on plans to redevelop the racecourse, he claimed that casinos with multiple slot machines had caused "devastation" wherever they were introduced, notably in the US, where there bad been a drop of up to 40 per cent in racing income.

Mr Osborne said that the revenue from betting in Ireland was vital, as racing received no Government support. This revenue, had fallen from £5 million in 1990 to £3.2 million last year. He believed that the racecourse, which closed in 1990, could be reopened for racing.

The presiding inspector, Mr Simon Clear, interjected to say that its operators - including Mr Vincent O'Brien and Mr Robert Sangster - had "closed the gate, walked away and put it up fir sale". However, he said that it would be for the appeals board to decide if it was abandoned.

Ms May Lynch, of the Phoenix Park Racecourse Preservation Association, said that any decision by the board to permit the proposed development would entail "the destruction of a historic landmark and public amenity which is unique, precious and irreplaceable".

Ms Pat Allison, secretary of the association, said that the race-course was as important to Dublin's north side as the RDS in Ballsbridge was to the south side. Its abandonment for the proposed stadium, casino, hotel and conference centre would "put a final stake in the Irish racing industry".,

Mr Michael O'Neill, planning consultant for the association and for the Irish Race Horse Trainers Association, said that the scheme was contrary to all planning principles".

Mr Louis Kilcoyne, president of the FAI, said that he had come to the hearing to state "full support" for the stadium element of the plan. He said that the stadium's 63,000-seat capacity would cater for thousands of fans who were currently unable to get tickets for soccer internationals.

In response to the inspector, he said that the FAI typically staged six home internationals a year at Lansdowne Road, while the IRFU staged two. The Phoenix Park racecourse developers say that the proposed stadium would be used for 12 major events a year.

Another endorsement came from the Dublin 15 Support Group, which was set up to back the scheme in opposition to the West Dublin Action Group, the coalition of local associations which oppose the development. It said that a survey of over 1,000 homes in the area showed 64 per cent support.

When the results of this "random poll" were queried by the inspector, Mr Paul Tyrell, for the support group, said that they had not canvassed in the housing estates immediately adjoining the racecourse "because we knew they would object and we wanted a positive result".