§ 11-65-17 — Terms of Horse Racing Facility License

Alabama § 11-65-17

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 11: Counties and Municipal Corporations
• Ch. 65: Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing in Class 1 Municipalities

Text

(a) A horse racing facility license issued under this chapter shall be for a period of 20 years, but shall be reviewed annually. A commission issuing such license shall state therein the person to whom such license is issued, the duration of such license, the location of the racing facility thereby licensed to be used for horse racing, and such other conditions of the license and related information as the commission shall deem proper. A commission shall have no power to modify the terms of a horse racing facility license, once issued, without the prior written consent of the holder of such license. A horse racing facility license shall be revocable by the commission only if the holder thereof shall not be in compliance with the provisions of this chapter or the valid rules, regulations, and orders of the commission and such noncompliance shall have continued for 60 days after written notice shall be given to such holder by the commission stating the circumstances of noncompliance and demanding corrective action.
(b) While any horse racing facility license or licenses theretofore issued by a commission shall remain in effect, such commission shall not issue (1) any other horse racing facility license with respect to the racing facility covered by the holder’s license or licenses already in effect, (2) any other horse racing facility license covering any other racing facility to be located in the commission municipal jurisdiction or (3) any license permitting the holder thereof to conduct horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering thereon or greyhound racing and pari-mutuel wagering thereon in the commission municipal jurisdiction or to own or operate any facility for horse racing or greyhound racing in such jurisdiction, without, in any such case, the duly authorized consent of the holder or holders of all horse racing facility licenses already in effect, which consent shall be obtained in writing prior to the issuance of any such other license.
(c) Any provisions of this chapter or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, a commission may, at the time of the issuance of a horse racing facility license or at any time thereafter, enter into a contract with the holder of such license establishing restrictive conditions under which such commission may license any racing facility, whether for horse racing or greyhound racing, that would compete with the racing facility covered by the license of such holder, which conditions may, in the discretion of the commission, preclude the licensing of any competing racing facility while such holder’s license shall remain in effect. The provisions of any such contract between a commission and a horse racing facility licensee shall be deemed to be a part of the terms and conditions of the license granted to such licensee. Without in any way limiting the nature of the consideration that might be given by a licensee to make such contract binding, the obligations (including any future obligations) of any operator using the racing facility covered by such license to pay the state horse wagering fee and the commission horse wagering fee, together with the economic benefits to be derived by the state and such commission and its sponsoring municipality from the establishment and continued operation of a racing facility, shall be deemed sufficient consideration to make such contract binding upon the commission and any state racing commission. Any such contract between a commission and a horse racing facility licensee shall be binding upon such commission and any state racing commission at any time exercising jurisdiction over such commission or such licensee and shall not be impaired by any subsequent action of such commission or such state racing commission or by any act of the Legislature of Alabama which, through the authorization of another licensing entity or by any other means, would permit or encourage the establishment and operation of a competing racing facility in contravention of such contract.
(d) A commission may require a bond with surety acceptable to it in an amount sufficient to secure payment of any indebtedness anticipated to be incurred by a horse racing facility licensee to such commission in any year, but such bond shall not for any reason be set by the commission at an amount greater than the amount of indebtedness to be secured thereby.

Legislative History

(Acts 1984, No. 84-131, p. 159, §17; Acts 1991, No. 91-187, p. 246, §15.)