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Casinos - Money - A way of Business

Casinos and Money go hand in hand. When you think of
the word "casino", the first word that comes to mind is
"money". Harness racing wants their part, or part of casino
gaming money. When it comes to this state, we know that
the money will definitely improve many different areas.
Four questions come mind when thinking of casino money.

What?
Why?
How?
Can We?

What is it that is so magnetic and attractive about
Casinos? Is it really their product? Or, is it the way they
promote and sell their product? I definitely think it is the
way they do business. A way of business that gets repeat
customers. Customers that know they will lose. That know
the odds are stacked against them. And that raises the
next question.

Why do people, from all walks of life, keep returning to
play a game, to lose their money, only to want to come
back for more? Is it the money that's so attractive, or is it
the chance to win the money? (Harness racing is about
chance. Is it not?) So, why do people fill the casinos
everyday on a daily basis? The answer may be in the next
question.

How do the casinos keep the people wanting to return.
Customers that love them, no matter what, win or lose. I
think you will find the answer to these three questions, in
this question. So, that leaves us with my final question.

Can we, harness racing, do what casinos do?

Can we;

Have a person at door (dressed like a winner)
greeting each customer, with a smile that says,
we are so glad to see you, we hope you have a
fantastic time, We are here to help you?
Have our facilities deck out with lots of lights
and bling bling?
Have a person/s in the building that is there to
serve the customer? Bring you water. FREE.
Send customers free meals, hotel rooms and
money voulchers?
Customers feel like we want them there? Feel
like we want them to come back?
Make our facilites feel like a great place to be?
When the customer is leaving, have a person at
the door, with a smile thats say, we are so
thrilled that you came to see us, we want you
to come back soon.
Make calls to customers that have visited our
place, and ask them how was there visit? Is
there anything we can do to make their next
visit better. "We will have you a $25 voulcher at
the at our customer support counter". Oops,
forgot we don't have a customer counter. Hmm.

You know the list can go on. But, we need do a reality
check. And, see what we can do to help ourselves.
Casinos, we need. While waiting for them to surface,
what's wrong with practicing some of the casino tactics.
Maybe they know something we don't. Can we do what
they do? Can we be a major attraction? Can we?
I believe. Do you?

Mel Smith, the voice everyone knows
7/3/07 KyHarnessRacing.com

As a teacher, he taught Government, Psychology

and

Economics to high school students for 32 years

before retiring in 1990 from Greenwood High School

in Greenwood Indiana.

In the sport of harness

racing, he may not recognized for this part of his

resume.

But, once he speaks into the microphone

from up

above, you instantly know who it is.

Mel Smith is well known throughout the Midwest as

the announcer. Mel has announced harness races in

Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois for over 40 years.

He announced his first race in the early sixties for the

Indiana Sulky Club

oday, Mel Smith works as the

announcer at the

county fairs in Kentucky, Indiana,

and Pana Illinois.

announced the first Kentucky

Pacing Derby and

last one

Louisville

Downs

. He

also held the

microphone for the first Fox Stake in

Indianappolis

Indiana.

Announcing at tracks like Audubon Raceway in

Ky,

Louisville Downs, The Red Mile,

Bluegrass Downs

some Ohio fairs

and

some

Indiana County Fairs as

well as

the

Kentucky fairs, he has watch a new

generation of

horsemen evolve.

Mel says, "I've seen a number of kids grow up to

continue in their father's footsteps--Brian Barnes,

Trent Stohler, Kevin Mack, several of the Finns from

Illinois, Jeff and Terry Cullipher just to name a few.

hope to continue announcing as long as my voice,

eyes and legs hold out. There needs to be someone

younger ready to step up and take over the

microphone in not too many years. At age 72, I

don't

know h

ow long I will be able to drive the long

distances and do the work.

I feel very blessed to

have this talent and to be able to use it. Hopefully,

the racing fans are well informed and appreciative.

Having a BA in history, and a Masters Degree in

Secondary Education, Mel Smith was born with a

talent not many have. He has mastered the art of

announcing. So if you hear a crystal clear voice, with

that distinctive pronunciation sound of every great

announcer, look up to the announcer's booth, and it

may very well be Mel Smith that you see.