Horse Racing Commission finally gets update from VIGL -- sort of

The Virgin Islands Horse Racing Commission finally got an update Monday from VIGL Operations LLC on where things stand in regards to the resumption of horse racing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

However, the report from St. Croix-based VIGL was short on specifics due to the still-ongoing negotiations between the company and the V.I. Government over the operating agreement to rebuild and promote races at Randall “Doc” James Race Track on St. Croix.

“Let me put this disclaimer in — we are at a very critical stage,” in the negotiations, said Jason Williams, VIGL’s general manager of racing operations, said at the opening of his report. “Just last week, our legal counsel advised me not to be making any public statements, given the delicate situation we’re in, the very sensitive nature of all that’s being said and all that’s being discussed.

“They asked that I not make any public comment, but again, I wanted to make sure I came to this meeting so there’s no opportunity for anyone to say that I’m trying to run or hide from the racing commission.”

Both VIGL and St. Thomas-based Southland Gaming were scheduled to give their reports during the initially-scheduled Horse Racing Commission meeting on May 13.

However, the email notifying VIGL officials of the meeting went to former VIGL chief executive officer Lance Griffith, who left the company last December.

Williams did not receive notice of the meeting until around lunchtime that day, and neither he or another representative from VIGL could attend the virtual meeting due to the late notice.

That prompted the members of the Horse Racing Commission to postpone the rest of the meeting until Monday, to give a representative of VIGL to be present at the meeting.

What information Williams could give the Horse Racing Commission concerned the status of the talks between VIGL and the V.I. government, which first became public during a March 22 Committee of the Whole hearing involving Andrew Dubuque, now managing partner of VIGL Operations LLC after Griffith’s departure.

“We have since that time, we have had a couple meetings, which I’m happy to say resulted in a working document that we recently — very, very recently — received from the administration,” Williams said. “That’s’ being looked at right now, as we speak, with our team.”