While many hopeful gamblers probably spend their fair share of time praying, that's where the similarities end between two longtime Longwood neighbors, a dog track and a church. Until recently, the Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club and Northland, A Church Distributed have maintained a friendly relationship -- although for the most part, they attract a starkly different clientele. But now, the church's opposition to expanded gambling at the track has the relationship on the rocks. Before the track even applied for approval to add a poker room, the church in August sent a letter of opposition to members of the Seminole County Commission and School Board, as well as to Longwood Mayor John C. Maingot and Sheriff Don Eslinger. Jack Collins Jr., whose family has owned the dog track for more than 50 years, said he was surprised and dismayed that the church was opposing a change that could benefit his business since the track has helped the church so much in its efforts to expand. "I thought that [the letter] was outrageous," Collins said. "It was way out of line." From 1973 to 1984, the church worshiped in the cafeteria at English Estates Elementary School in Fern Park. It bought the former Skate City roller rink on Dog Track Road in June 1984 and began holding services in the building two months later but did not complete renovations until 1988. The skating rink has since been replaced by a modern facility, and Collins said the track played a key role, selling some land it once used for kennels to the church, and donating land worth about $1 million. Church officials see it differently. "We've always had a good relationship with the folks over at the dog track, from whom we lease some of our parking space," said the Rev. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor at Northland, A Church Distributed.
"But as a church, we are morally opposed to the expansion of gambling because gambling can and does turn into addiction many times, and it has the potential to destroy families. It shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone that a church would be opposed to this."
Although the track leased land on the east end of its property to the church for parking, Collins said he offered to allow the church to use as much space as it needs on Sundays.
"We told them to use all 30 acres if they need it," he said.
The five-year lease on the parking area expires in February, and the church's opposition to a poker room at the track could jeopardize any renewal.
Collins stopped short of saying the lease won't be renewed. But he added: "It's kind of hard to be that friendly with somebody when they try to stop your business."
Gambling venues such as dog and horse tracks and jai alai frontons have been allowed to add poker rooms, with the approval of their county commission, since legislation passed in 1997, Collins said. Under that law, poker games were limited to $10 pots and were not popular.
But a change in the legislation removed the cap on the pot and instead limits bets to $2 and allows for a maximum of three raises per game. Players must pay either 10 percent of the pot or $2 to the track. They typically pay $2 from the pot at the start of each game, Collins said.
"It [poker] is very popular and very regulated," Collins said. While there is some crossover, he said, poker games usually attract a different crowd from dog races.
Poker rooms are already in place at the Daytona Beach Kennel Club and Melbourne Greyhound Park. Collins said he is constantly asked why the Longwood track doesn't offer poker.
Adding a poker room could attract as many as 300 to 400 people a day and provide an additional 50 to 60 jobs at the track, said Collins, who also owns a Greyhound track in Sarasota, where a poker room will open later this month.
When Collins initially sought approval in Sarasota, he also found opposition there.
"I thought it would be a slam-dunk," he said. "I was totally mistaken."
But he asked city and county commissioners to visit the track, and he showed them what was planned. "It passed unanimously."
A church official wrote the letter of opposition after learning that a poker room was a possibility during a visit from a group that expressed interest in buying the Longwood track.
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