Code of Alabama - Title 11: Counties and Municipal Corporations - Section 11-65-30.1 - Commission greyhound racing days

Section 11-65-30.1 - Commission greyhound racing days.

(a) During each calendar year, a greyhound racing operator shall be required to designate three racing days ("commission racing days") on which such operator will conduct a performance or program of greyhound racing and will pay to the commission the "gross profit" (as hereafter defined in this section) derived by the operator on such days from greyhound racing and pari-mutuel wagering thereon, including the sale of food, drink, programs and other items to the public in attendance and charges made for parking. In the event that a greyhound racing operator conducts greyhound racing for only part of a calendar year, one racing day shall be required for each period of four months or portion thereof in which such operator conducts greyhound racing during such calendar year. A greyhound racing operator shall be required to designate and conduct four commission racing days in any calendar year, beginning with the calendar year next succeeding the first full calendar year of greyhound racing conducted by an operator under license from the commission, with respect to which the greyhound racing handle in the next preceding year was less than $150,000,000.00. The commission racing days designated by the greyhound racing operator shall be subject to approval by the commission, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. The commission racing days shall be spaced at intervals during the calendar year so that all will not occur in the same calendar season. The greyhound racing operator will give written notice to the commission of the commission racing days proposed for a calendar year not later than 30 days after the beginning of such calendar year. The commission may approve the proposed commission racing days or make a counter proposal to the greyhound racing operator for different days and, in connection therewith, shall state its reasons for desiring different days. If the commission's counter proposal is not acceptable to the greyhound racing operator, the commission and the operator shall negotiate in good faith to determine mutually acceptable commission racing days for the current calendar year, but if agreement cannot be reached as the year continues, the operator shall be released from the obligation to hold one commission racing day for every four months that elapse from the beginning of such year (or one commission racing day for every three months in calendar years entitled to four commission racing days). The commission shall be prohibited from taking any regulatory action with respect to the greyhound racing operator for the purpose of coercing agreement on commission racing days demanded by the commission.

(b) As used with reference to a commission racing day, the term "gross profit" shall mean the amount computed by taking all revenues derived by the greyhound racing operator from greyhound racing conducted on such day (including the authorized "takeout" deductions from pari-mutuel pools, the proceeds from the sale of food, drink, programs, and other goods to the public in attendance, and parking charges) and deducting therefrom the sum of the following:

(1) The actual operating costs of the greyhound racing operator on such commission racing day, which costs shall be those incurred for greyhound purses, direct labor, the costs of food, drink, and other merchandise sold on such day and other costs incurred solely by reason of opening and operating the racing facility and shall not be deemed to include costs that are constant from day to day and would have been incurred by the operator had greyhound racing not been conducted on such day, including, but not limited to, such costs as capital expenditures, interest on debt, property taxes, insurance and other items of fixed expense determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(2) The state dog racing privilege tax and the commission greyhound wagering fee applicable to pari-mutuel wagering conducted on such commission racing day;

(3) The general sales taxes payable to the state, the sponsoring municipality, and the host county for food, drink, and other merchandize sold by the greyhound racing operator on such commission racing day, admission fees for such day payable to the sponsoring municipality pursuant to Section 11-65-33, and other taxes and fees, if any, payable to other governmental entities with respect to activities conducted on such commission racing day; and

(4) The rent, calculated as a percentage of the greyhound racing handle, which the greyhound racing operator may be obligated to pay any owner or lessee of the racing facility with respect to such commission racing day, it being expressly provided that the operator shall not absorb such rent in determining the gross profit and that it will be deducted from the operating revenues in calculating gross profit unless the operator's obligation for such rent on such commission day is waived or released by the party having the power to do so.

Any greyhound racing operator conducting a commission racing day shall remit the gross profits of such day to the treasurer of the commission prior to the end of the month next succeeding that month in which the commission racing day occurs. Such payment shall be accompanied by supporting financial information showing the calculation of the gross profits, including revenues and allowable costs by appropriate category.

(c) All revenues derived by a commission from a commission racing day, including both the gross profits and the commission greyhound wagering fee referable to such day, shall, in the discretion of the commission, be included in the net commission revenues and disbursed in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-65-36 or, alternatively, sequestered in a separate fund, against which no charge shall be allowed for any part of the commission's operating expenses, and disbursed to one or more public or governmental entities or nonsectarian charitable organizations (i.e., organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) that were identified as beneficiaries of such revenues prior to the date of such commission racing day. The commission shall adopt appropriate rules and regulations for evaluating and selecting public entities or charitable organizations to be beneficiaries of commission racing days.

(Acts 1991, No. 91-187, p. 246, §26.)

Last modified: May 3, 2021