Churchill Downs is still fighting to get legalized casinos at racetracks in Kentucky. The biggest stumbling block is Senate President David Williams who opposes legalizing casino gambling in Kentucky. Williams is the main host of the Southern Legislative Conference. What better way for Churchill Downs to suck up to Williams than to hold a big, expensive Saturday night bash at the track to impress state lawmakers from all over the south? It'll make Williams look good and Churchill's lobbyists rubs elbows with lawmakers from Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky and other states where they might have an interest. It's a win-win. I'm not saying the shindig will help change Wlliams' mind on casino gambling but it might get him, and some Republican senators, back in the softer mood they were in before Churchill Downs and its backers ticked them off early in the 2006 session. The Legislature paid Churchill about $21,000 to host the party, according to Williams' spokesperson.

Ali will be greeting the legislators and their families Sunday night, July 30th at the Ali Center. It could be interesting if some of the southern conservative christians show up and actually look around the Center. It doesn't hide Ali's disdain for christians when he was a young man, just converted to Islam. When Ali was in his early 20s, he was a follower of Elijah Muhammad and a friend (for awhile) of Malcolm X. At the time he believed the white christian establishment was trying to keep the black man in his place. That's depicted at the Center, along with Ali's transformation as a lover of all, not a fighter. But it might be interesting to see how many white lawmakers from Mississippi, Alabama and Texas show up to have their pictures made with Louisville's most famous son. Many of those folks probably still view Ali as a draft dodging radical.
Just a note. I've been to the Ali Center. It is spectacular! Pay the $9. I'll go again just to sit and watch all of Ali's famous fights against Frazier, Norton and Liston. They're all there! You could spend all day just watching the fights but there's a bigger message that you'll find running through the showcase of Ali's life.