Oklahoma City Zoo seeking extra payments from Remington Park

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- As Remington Park adds electronic gambling machines, the Oklahoma City Zoo is hoping to share in the additional profits.<br/><br/>Remington Park was built on land owned by the Oklahoma

Tuesday, May 31st 2005, 6:31 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- As Remington Park adds electronic gambling machines, the Oklahoma City Zoo is hoping to share in the additional profits.

Remington Park was built on land owned by the Oklahoma City Zoological Trust, and a 1986 contract ties the horse track's annual lease payment to its betting handle.

The track's parent company -- Magna Entertainment -- argues that the term "handle" excludes casino proceeds.

But the company has agreed to pay a small percentage of its revenue above $50-million. If state projections are accurate, that would mean about $75,000 a year for the zoo.

Zoo Executive Director Bert Castro says that amount is not enough, and the trust has hired two attorneys to negotiate a deal with the track.