Teton County Commissioners shot down 307 Horse Racing and its bid to turn Hole Bowl into the first para-mutual betting parlor in Teton County.
The return of chair Natalia Macker was 307’s downfall as the vote went 2-3 with commissioners Mark Barron and Greg Epstein in favor; Macker joined Luther Propst and Mark Newcomb in denying a resolution that would make wagering at the former Hole Bowl facility a reality.
307’s Kyle Ridgway anticipated the biggest hurdle for commissioners: an approval of his operation could open the door for other gambling parlor operators to want their piece of Teton County’s pie.
“We truly believe in local control,” Ridgway said, explaining that the resolution was a very particular one-off pertaining only to them and only to the Hole Bowl location.
Supporters say this would probably be the only way to save bowling in Teton County as no one else would likely find a way to make it pay the bills on its own.
“Seventy-five to 80% of the facility stays the way it was,” Ridgway assured the board. “Where the two private bowling alleys are now, we put in gaming terminals and wagering activity.”
Ridgway said he was also okay with limiting hours of operation to midnight instead of 2am.
How they voted
Businessmen Barron and Epstein understood the challenges of paying rent and making payroll in Jackson Hole. They didn’t need much convincing that 307’s proposal was a way to keep the alleys waxed.
Epstein also worried kids would have less to do if they lost the bowling alley.
“It’s obvious we are afraid of change. We are going to use fear to talk about a worst-case scenario. There is never going to be another bowling alley in this community. When this one goes away because we have chosen not to support another revenue stream, then that 8-year-old that can’t go backcountry skiing; what else are they going to do?” Epstein said.
Macker worried about the precedence of allowing 307 in. It will bring more operators and applicants, and it won’t be fair to tell them no if they don’t have a bowling alley, she worried.
“I, too, would like to see bowling back. This has the potential to mark a shift in the community.”
Propst mentioned how Jackson is a “unique community, with a unique economy and unique pressures.”
“We’ve heard concerns from the neighbors and the sheriff. We also recently just had this survey about tourism that shows the community is quite anxious about the level of activity,” Propst said. “But mostly I am concerned about the precedent for gaming in Teton County. This takes us away from our strong suit that is nature-based tourism.”
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