a. The destruction by fire of the Garden State Racetrack in the spring of 1977 was a severe blow to the economic well-being of the area surrounding the racetrack and of the larger South Jersey area, most importantly because of the loss of jobs directly and indirectly connected with the operation of the racetrack and the serving of its patrons.

b. The demise of the racetrack has also hurt the State because of the loss of revenue to the State generated by attendance at the racetrack and has harmed the racing industry in the State because of an insufficient number of tracks to establish a successful year-round circuit for thoroughbred racing.

c. It is vitally important that the Garden State Racetrack be reopened as soon as possible so that the economic benefits of an operating track and its attendant service industries will once again flow into the area–and to the State as a whole.

d. It is desirable to accomplish this reopening through the private sector rather than through a governmental authority, and in order to do so, it is justifiable to offer a private buyer economic advantages and encouragement so that such a buyer will make the initial sizeable capital investment necessary to rebuild the track and will make the continuing expenditures necessary for a successful racetrack operation.

e. Precedent already exists for recognizing the particular financial problems and needs of individual racetracks and addressing those problems and needs, namely, by allowing a thoroughbred racetrack that receives an average daily parimutuel handle of $1 million or less to pay less in revenue to the State than a track with a daily handle of more than $1 million, and by allowing a thoroughbred track with a daily handle of more than $1 million to retain for its own use an additional 1% out of the State’s share of the handle when that track faces competition from a harness track during the summer months.

L.1982, c. 201, s. 1, eff. Dec. 16, 1982.