Date for racino decision penciled

It appears to be the home stretch: in just over six weeks, the New Mexico Racing Commission is tentatively scheduled to announce its award for the state’s sixth and final racino license.

“I emphasize the word tentative,” NMRC Executive Director Izzy Trejo said on Friday. “A tentative date, certainly set in pencil, of Dec. 6 ... That’s the date that we’re gearing towards.”

Commissioners detailed as much in their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, along with a few other dates between now and then. Their next regular monthly meeting is Nov. 15, and might continue on to a second day, Trejo said.

“Just two long days for the commissioners to evaluate a lot of what they’ve taken in so far and then more,” he said. “It may be an executive session all day; I’m not sure how it’s going to play out.”

By then, an independent feasibility study for prospect cities Clovis, Tucumcari and Lordsburg should be completed. Trejo expected that done within the first two weeks of next month.

After that it’s a final push: applicants with horse racetrack and slot-gaming designs on those cities (three for Clovis and one each for the others) will be invited “to have a very brief final presentation or spiel” before commissioners, followed by a Q&A, on Nov. 28.

That meeting will also be an “opportunity for tribes to give input on prospects, or voice any thoughts,” as part of the state’s agreement with tribes concerning gaming.

Finally, with a time and location still to-be-determined, the big award should be announced on Dec. 6. That’s if everything goes according to plan.

“This could all be subject to change,” Trejo cautioned. “We’re missing a lot of variables in the equation.”