Developers were smart when it came to Cumberland Mint/Run

A few years ago many of us were elated when it was announced that Corbin would be getting a facility for horse racing. It was going to be quarter horse racing, but that was okay because with it was coming a grandstand, restaurant and possibly a hotel. A little Keeneland facility if your dreams were big enough.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

We waited and waited while the state legislature did its thing on passing legislation that would allow historic wagering machines at the facility and a race track.

When all was said and done it was announced that a facility would be built at Williamsburg also.

What caught many by surprise was the Williamsburg facility was going to be the first to be built.

Now that Cumberland Run has opened in Corbin I have heard that some people are disappointed with its size and with it as opposed to the original plans.

However, those in charge of these developments did the smart thing. They built these facilities to be successful and the Cumberland Mint in Williamsburg is in the best location to draw from people in Tennessee. It’s location on the first exit of Interstate 75 out of the Volunteer state couldn’t have been better.

Not only that, it is located next to the Kentucky Splash Waterpark and RV sites, plus a new hotel is on its way.

The area has great potential to become a vacation spot.

The Cumberland Mint is the best location I have seen for any of this type facility in the state and nowhere can anybody beat its visibility as it sits right near the Interstate. It is a beautiful facility with a nice restaurant.

But back to Cumblerland Run in Corbin. Scheduled this fall is Harness Racing and according to what I have been told more activities and expansion will be coming.

The Corbin facility is much smaller than the Mint, but it will attract people coming from Knox, Bell, parts of east Tn., those travelling U.S. 25-E.

Considering everything, who could have asked for anything more?

Lawmakers, I am not an advocate for gambling, but if you have wagering on horse races, lotto wagering, sports betting and machine wagering, and whatever else is available, why do you stop there? Why not go after everything and have casinos?

• This is birthday week for me and my wife. I’ll be 84, but she is much younger than me and she looks it.

Her birthday is on the 24th and mine is on the 26th. Come June we will have been married 60 years.

I have a niece and a nephew that both were born on my birthday.  My dad’s birthday was in August. I’ve noticed several of my friend’s birthdays are in August also.