Inglewood to Vote on Card Club at Hollywood Park

Come November, Inglewood voters will decide whether visitors to Hollywood Park Race Track will be able to gamble on a good hand as well as the horses. In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Inglewood City Council decided to hold a referendum on whether to build a card club at the track.

Already, city officials are divided over how to spend the $10 million in tax revenues that the club would produce each year. Council members and City Manager Paul Eckles disagree about how much of the revenues, if any, should be earmarked for specific purposes such as improving schools or adding to social programs.

Eckles strongly opposes earmarking any of the money, calling it unwise and premature given the city’s poor financial situation. Since its budget situation is uncertain, he says, the city ought to have the flexibility to spend the money as needed.

“Our revenues have dropped drastically because of the economy, and they dropped even more following the fears that developed after the riots,” he said.

Eckles also pointed out that the newly adopted city budget could be thrown out of balance if the state resolves its budget crisis by taking more revenues away from cities.

Councilman Daniel K. Tabor, meanwhile, has introduced a plan under which half the projected card club revenues would go to the general fund and half to city schools, business development and human services programs.

“My feeling is that we do this so that we don’t dump it in the general fund,” which pays the day-to-day costs of running the city, Tabor said Wednesday.

Tabor said he wants specific uses for the new money spelled out in the ballot measure residents will vote on in November.

Councilman Garland Hardeman said Wednesday that he wants the card club revenues to go into the general fund but reiterated his longstanding view that he wants more general fund money spent on social programs and new parks.

The proposed card club, which would be located in the Cary Grant Pavilion at the track, is part of a $100-million expansion program recently announced by park owners. Regardless of whether voters approve or reject it, the owners said, they still plan to proceed with plans to build a music center and a golf academy at the track.