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Live Greyhound Racing Could Be On The Way Out

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A pair of state legislators are trying to drum up support for their bills which would eliminate the requirement that dog tracks off live racing.

As expected the measures have been met with heavy opposition by the Greyhound racing industry.

Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, and Rep. Dana Young, R-Tampa, held a news conference to build support for SB 382 and HB 641. They said the House and Senate approved similar proposals last year but could not reach agreement on a final bill.

Under the bills, tracks could continue to offer other types of gambling, such as card rooms, without a requirement that they run a minimum amount of greyhound races.

"We need to remove these mandates,'' Young said. "We need to stop propping up the greyhound-racing industry.''

But Jack Cory, a lobbyist for the Florida Greyhound Association, which represents greyhound breeders and owners, said the proposal would kill jobs in the industry.

"It's a jobs issue,'' Cory said, "It's got nothing to do with anything else.''

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

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