Raton racino's gaming license revoked

RATON, N.M. (KRQE) - The Raton racino ran into what may have been its final roadblock Tuesday.

At its afternoon meeting the New Mexico Gaming Control Board revoked the gambling license for the La Mesa Race Track & Casino.  Board members said they took the action because the developers missed the May 1 deadline to open up the casino portion.

The New Mexico Racing Commission is expected to yank its license for the problem-plagued racino later this month.

“It's a sad day for the state of New Mexico because we anticipated receiving substantial tax revenue from this operation long before today,” Gaming Control Board Chair David Norvell told the crowd.

Board members also said the racino’s Canadian owner, Michael Moldenhauer, did not follow through with the paperwork he needed to.

“We're going to continue the fight for Raton," Moldenhauer said after the decision.  "We've been at it six years.  We've been big supporters of making sure this facility comes back to Raton.

“We clearly don't agree with the board's decision, and we'll appeal that decision.”

Moldenhauer said he doesn’t know why they made that decision because the casino portion was weeks away from opening. A temporary casino tent was going to hold 300 slot machines.

“How could they possibly think it's in the better interest of the state stopping the process in its tracks?” Moldenhauer said.

More than 30 Raton residents traveled to Albuquerque to hear first-hand where the racino stood.

“Everything is riding on it for me as far as the businesses in Raton,” business owner Steve Pesikan told KRQE News 13.

Geri Miller, who is involved in Raton real estate, was disappointed about the loss of potential new residents and business.

“I have a lot of friends in Oklahoma and Texas, and they call me wanting to know when the casino's going to be open,” Miller said.

Raton’s mayor made a passionate appeal to the board to save La Mesa.

“It's not just for Raton,” Mayor Jesse James Johnson told the board.  "It’s for northern New Mexico and the surrounding areas."

After the decision, Johnson said he doesn’t know what’s next but added that Raton will survive.

“We have to go back to the drawing board,” he said.

On May 19 racing commission members will revoke La Mesa’s racing license because you can’t have a racetrack without a casino. Once the racing license is yanked, the state’s last racino will be up for grabs again.

There was no immediate word on when the state will start hearing new pitches for it. The last time around Raton beat out Tucumcari and Pojoaque.