Letter to the Editor | St. Croix Racetrack Agreement Is Not a Giveaway; It Is a Chance to Restore Horse Racing With a Proven Partner

Dear Editor, I read with interest the recent editorial by my friend and former colleague, Marvin Pickering, on the proposed agreement between the V.I. Government and SGVI Inc. to rebuild the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack on St. Croix. I have deep respect for Mr. Pickering, but several of his assertions are inaccurate. I write to correct the record. Let me begin where we agree. The restoration of horse racing on St. Croix is long overdue and deserves broad support. It is woven into the cultural fabric of our islands, and its return promises recreation, economic activity, and community pride. Where we part ways is on the heart of his argument, that this proposal grants one operator extraordinary tax advantages, erodes regulatory safeguards, and tilts the playing field. The facts say otherwise. At bottom, this debate compares a video lottery program that has delivered for the Territory with a casino initiative that, by the admission of its own regulators, has not. Consider the “tax ad...