I thought I was going to play Dr. Watson to Liberalgeek’s Sherlock, but it seems I’m going to play Dustin Hoffman to his Robert Redford.
Here it goes.
It is easy to build a case that Denis McGlynn is behind an effort to promote sports betting in Delaware and in fact may have already sealed the deal.
This post from Liberalgeek links to a gambling news site that attributes this to an “Executive” of Dover Downs Entertainment.
“..the Delaware legislature is currently seeking ways to define their ability to institute this activity (sports betting) and it makes sense since they already do simulcast wagering on horse racing.”
Dover Downs Entertainment CEO, Denis McGlynn is paid $433,000 per year to be the public face of Dover Downs and has appeared on CNN financial discussing the company’s business strategy and finances. It is reasonable to assume that McGylnn is the person who made these statements to the gaming trade press.
But how could he be so confident about the prospects for sports betting?
Investing in a big new hotel and speaking on the record with a member of the trade press are the smoking guns when it comes to the question of this being a done deal, but it does not explain where the confidence comes from.
To discover the source of his confidence I looked at Pam Thornburg’s most recent campaign filings. Thornburg (R – Dover West) is regarded by some people as the gaming industry’s most reliable representative in Dover. McGlynn does not appear directly on the reports, but these shadowy Dover Delaware based organizations are prominent contributors.
Non-Partisan Citizens for Business Expansion
Delaware Citizens for Economic Development
Delaware Dept. Association (Yes. This is the name on the form)…and the most telling,
Delaware Racing Association
See the forms here
(PDF Link)
Thornburg clearly did very well with a small number of well healed donors. I’m no Carl Bernstein, but I don’t think it is going to take long to tie McGlyn and Dover Downs to these organizations.
For the record I don’t have strong feelings about sports betting (other than a strong desire to NOT bet on the Eagles). What I don’t like is having a bunch of rich guys getting even more rich by using our state government like a $20 whore.