The chairman of Maryland's Democratic Party is helping an Indiana-based casino company line up a lobbyist and local investors to pursue a planned racetrack casino venture in southern Prince George's County.
Wayne L. Rogers said he sees no conflict in working with Centaur Inc., on the Rosecroft Raceway project - even though the party's gubernatorial candidate adopted a strong "no slots" stance during the election.
"I don't think the Maryland Democratic Party has taken a position on slots," Rogers said.
He noted that Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Prince George's Democrat, supports legalizing slots at Maryland horse tracks, as do several Democrats serving in the General Assembly.
"The Democratic Party is not opposed to slots per se," Rogers said. "It's not a party issue."
Still, slots were a contentious issue in the governor's race. Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend strongly opposed slots; Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who won the race, made legalizing slots the centerpiece of his budget proposals.
The involvement of Rogers in the Rosecroft project signals that Maryland's business and political leaders are quickly becoming more involved - financially and otherwise - in trying to win approval of slots in the next Assembly session.
Rogers said Centaur executives asked him in mid-October - shortly after the company signed a deal to buy Rosecroft - if he would advise them on hiring a lobbyist and help put together a group of local investors, of which Rogers would be a part.
He said he agreed to do so but held off on taking action until after the Nov. 5 election.
Rogers said he has talked to "two or three lobbyists," whom he would not identify, and plans to talk to others.
He said he has not yet lined up a group of local investors and does not know how many people might end up being involved. The local group likely would include African-American investors, he said
"No one has really been approached yet," Rogers said. "They will be all businesspeople - no political figures."
He said local investors would hold a minority stake in Centaur's Maryland venture. "It would probably be less than 20 percent," he said.
Jeff Smith, Centaur's chief operating officer, acknowledged the company solicited Rogers' help in finding local investment partners and a lobbyist.
"We're just trying to better understand who some prospective partners are, and Mr. Rogers knows a variety of folks within the state," Smith said. "He's just been one of several business people we've talked to in order to gain a better understanding of Maryland's business, regulatory and political environment."
Asked about Rogers becoming part-owner, along with other local investors, Smith said: "We don't have any contractual relationship with anyone, but we've made it known we think it would be good to have Maryland partners."
Smith said it is premature to talk about whom the company might select as local investment partners. He noted that Centaur is waiting for the Maryland Racing Commission to approve its purchase of Rosecroft, and the General Assembly won't take up the issue of legalizing slots at tracks until early next year .
"We have no contractual relationships with anyone at this stage," Smith said. "We're just trying to get our project in front of the racing commission as quickly as we can."
Smith said Centaur is "more than capable" of moving forward on its own with the Rosecroft project but believes that it is good business to bring in local investors as partners.
Smith said Centaur is not paying Rogers or any other businesspeople who are advising the company. "None of these advisers are paid advisers," he said.
Rogers said Centaur executives told him they "wanted to get a lay of the land, where things stand" as the state explores legalizing slot machines at horse tracks.
The Annapolis businessman said he didn't believe the company tapped him for his political connections.
"They see this as a positive thing, coming in and wanting to work with local people," Rogers said. "We're going to be more concerned that things are done right because we live here. I think the issue is one of sensitivity to the state."
Rogers said he sees no conflict that would require him to step down as the state Democratic Party chairman: "I don't intend on doing any lobbying. For me, it would be purely an investment."
Rogers has previously said he's not sure whether he'll seek a second four-year term as party chairman, and some prominent Democratic activists have suggested - after the party's November loss in the governor's race - that it might be better if someone else took over.
Centaur is part-owner of the Hoosier Park track in Indianapolis and owns several casinos in other states. Centaur's package for Rosecroft totaled $55.4 million, including $10 million for the track and $45.4 million for purses over the next 10 years.
In accepting Centaur's bid, Rosecroft's owners turned down an offer from Magna Entertainment of Canada, which bought a controlling interest in Laurel Park and Pimlico.
Rosecroft also rejected a surprise bid submitted by Baltimore Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos through his son, Louis.