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Shaun Hiltner, known around Frederick as DJ Tipsy, won the $30,000 jackpot in the Lincoln and Loot Giveaway at Charles Town Races & Slots.  Shaun, who is known by his friends and family as being a kind and caring man, took over his parents’ mortgage payment last year so they wouldn’t lose their home.  As a result, Shaun didn’t have to think long or hard about how he would spend a $30,000 jackpot he won Sunday at Charles Town Races & Slots. “I’ll use it to help pay down my parent’s mortgage,” Hiltner said. It was great news for the player and she made it clear that paying off bills was a priority. Though many consumers think of gambling winnings as luxury money, the reality for some people is that the money is best spent on practical things like paying down debt, paying off medical bills and paying for everyday expenses.

Shaun took over his parents mortgage when his mother had back surgery. While she was in recovery, she was rear-ended in a car accident.  “That messed her up for life,” said Hiltner.  His mother is living off a $713 disability check, while his father has been unable to find construction work, Hiltner said. Hiltner won the money in the racetrack’s $300,000 Lincoln and Loot Giveaway. He had the option of taking a $46,000 2010 Lincoln MKT or the cash. “It was the calls that came later that made it all worthwhile,” he said. “My friends, who knew my family was falling on hard times, said, ‘You got the biggest heart, man,’ and ‘You deserve it more than anyone else.’  “My parents have been there for me, so it’s my turn,” Hiltner said. “It will definitely help my family.”

Hiltner loves his full-time work as a local disc jockey, but winning a jackpot is a faster way to get money.  Jon Hall, Charles Town promotions and events administrator, said he wished all his winners were like Hiltner. “I asked him if he won what he would do with the money, and he said he would throw it at his mother’s mortgage. All the ladies in the room went, ‘Aw,’” he said. “I was hoping he would win because you don’t get that answer every day.”

Finamore said, “We won! To win is the important thing, and to win by a wider margin than we lost last time speaks to a lot of things — the campaign we ran, the needs, the revenues we’ll produce. … It’s a great outcome.” GM of the racino Al Britton said that the differences this time were the strong desire to change the market around for th egood. He said, “Now we roll the sleeves up. We start the work recruiting and training and getting the facility ready to accept the games. We’ve got our work cut out for us, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Regarding those against the gambling, the argument was that addictions would run rampant throughout the community if slot machines were brought into the fray. They also claime that the new jobs promised would “probably not be as many” and would be “low paying” jobs. The economy however is creating people with a “something is better than nothing” attitude. Finamore added, “People want jobs and if it turns out that instead of 500 jobs, we only create 450, they’ll be happy. That’s 450 families that are going to have an easier time of their bills.”

While many voters have changed positions since 2007 because of a new revenue-distribution formula that benefits local governments and schools, a Vote No group complains the track and the state still get too much money. They say residents face the threat of higher taxes for law enforcement, emergency services, road construction “and social services to address the needs of the many new low-wage workers brought in to fill positions.” They are claiming that the state is ill prepared to handle the door it just opened.

The unemployment rate in the state is more than 6% and the bottom line is that people need help– any help. Almost no one is willing to stand idly by and let the economy fix itself by itself. Rather, people are wanting to be proactive. If voting to bring slot machines to the state is what turns the economy around, then most people are ready to do it.  The big concerns about ethics and addictions are going to be addressed slowly. For now, the new racino owners are ecstatic.

This past week an initiative to allow 5,000 slot machines into the Charles Town Races and Slots facility, in Charles Town, West Virginia, passed. Voters came together to agree and let the slots build up the casino. The main impetus for the positive votes was the proposed job creation of 500 various employment opportunities and the positive effects that has on the community as a whole.

When polls closed track officials were overjoyed to announce the victory. The vote for the slot machines was 6,279 to 4,343. It’s interesting that the decision was not split down the middle as it has been with many other votes throughout the country. It’s not uncommon to have a 51/49% vote on the issue of slots. Many other states are looking to bring slot machines in to increase revenue-generating activities within the state. It’s one of the most lucrative ways state legislators have of funding improvements, education and any other budget issue that lacks funding due to the recession and its aftermath.

John Finamore, Senior VP of Charles Town Races and Slots, said, “We are thrilled. We are relieved. And come Monday, we are going to start delivering on our promises. I can’t wait to start filling those $45,000 jobs we promised.”  In terms of voting, both sides of the slots issue campaigned hard for people to come out and voice their opinion. Their campaigning worked as 33,000 registered voters were reached via their extensive advertising plan. Voters were inundated with the issue via billboards, radio advertising, TV advertising, Facebook, personal phone calls and newspaper ads.  The issue was such a hefty one that huge budgets were used to bring the two opinions to the public. Spokespeople and city officials hashed it out in the public prior to the vote.

It was just two years ago that a vote was cast where voters decided against the slot machine addition. They were not in favor of bringing the change to the racetrack. Industry experts are citing the change in the economy as a major motivator for people to want slot machines to be used in the market. Plus, those for the issue were promoting job creation hard to the masses.

Part two coming next.