Virginia Code 59.1-378: Issuance of owner’s license
A. The Commission shall consider all applications for an owner’s license and may grant a valid owner’s license to applicants who meet the criteria set forth in this chapter and established by the Commission. The Commission shall deny a license to any applicant unless it finds that the applicant’s facilities are or will be appropriate for the finest quality of racing.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 59.1-378
- Commission: means the Virginia Racing Commission. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
- Horse racing: means a competition on a set course involving a race between horses on which pari-mutuel wagering is permitted and includes historical horse racing. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Member: includes any person designated a member of a nonstock corporation, and any person who by means of a pecuniary or other interest in such corporation exercises the power of a member. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Principal stockholder: means any person who individually or in concert with his spouse and immediate family members, beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of the stock of any person which is a licensee, or who in concert with his spouse and immediate family members, has the power to vote or cause the vote of five percent or more of any such stock. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
- Race meeting: means the whole consecutive period of time during which horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering is conducted by a licensee. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Racetrack: means an outdoor course located in Virginia which is laid out for horse racing and is licensed by the Commission. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- Satellite facility: means all areas of the property at which simulcast horse racing is received for the purposes of pari-mutuel wagering, and any additional areas designated by the Commission. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- Stock: includes all classes of stock, partnership interest, membership interest, or similar ownership interest of an applicant or licensee, and any debt or other obligation of such person or an affiliated person if the Commission finds that the holder of such interest or stock derives therefrom such control of or voice in the operation of the applicant or licensee that he should be deemed an owner of stock. See Virginia Code 59.1-365
B. The Commission shall deny a license to an applicant if it finds that for any reason the issuance of a license to the applicant would not be in the interest of the people of the Commonwealth or the horse racing industry in the Commonwealth, or would reflect adversely on the honesty and integrity of the horse racing industry in the Commonwealth, or that the applicant, or any officer, partner, principal stockholder, or director of the applicant:
1. Has knowingly made a false statement of material fact or has deliberately failed to disclose any information requested;
2. Is or has been found guilty of any illegal, corrupt, or fraudulent act, practice, or conduct in connection with any horse racing in this or any other state, or has been convicted of a felony;
3. Has at any time knowingly failed to comply with the provisions of this chapter or of any regulations of the Commission;
4. Has had a license or permit to hold or conduct a horse race meeting denied for just cause, suspended, or revoked in any other state or country;
5. Has legally defaulted in the payment of any obligation or debt due to the Commonwealth;
6. Has constructed or caused to be constructed a racetrack or satellite facility for which a license was required under § 59.1-377 hereof without obtaining such license, or has deviated substantially, without the permission of the Commission, from the plans and specifications submitted to the Commission; or
7. Is not qualified to do business in Virginia or is not subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this Commonwealth.
C. The Commission shall deny a license to any applicant unless it finds:
1. That, if the corporation is a stock corporation, that such stock is fully paid and nonassessable, has been subscribed and paid for only in cash or property to the exclusion of past services, and, if the corporation is a nonstock corporation, that there are at least twenty members;
2. That all principal stockholders or members have submitted to the jurisdiction of the Virginia courts, and all nonresident principal stockholders or members have designated the Executive Secretary of the Commission as their agent for receipt of process;
3. That the applicant’s articles of incorporation provide that the corporation may, on vote of a majority of the stockholders or members, purchase at fair market value the entire membership interest of any stockholder or require the resignation of any member who is or becomes unqualified for such position under § 59.1-379; and
4. That the applicant meets the criteria established by the Commission for the granting of an owner’s license.
1988, c. 855; 1990, c. 206; 1992, c. 820; 2015, cc. 731, 751.