COEUR d'ALENE - Community leaders are asking Idaho's governor and attorney general to ban instant horse racing machines in Idaho.

A group of 17 community leaders signed a letter asking for the ban, starting with former Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem. She was followed by Mayor Steve Widmyer and former Lt. Governor Jack Riggs. Many others from the Coeur d'Alene City Council, North Idaho College and beyond also signed it.

"We just all worked together to relay a collective message that we wanted to send to the governor," Bloem said, adding the Coeur d'Alene Tribe was aware of the letter.

The one-page letter hits on many of the points the Tribe's lobbyist has been making in the Legislature this session, as he pushes legislation that would repeal a 2013 law legalizing the machines.

"We are writing to you to voice our collective concern regarding Vegas-style casino gaming recently introduced at off-reservation locations such as Post Falls, Boise and Idaho Falls under the pretense of wagering on historical horse races," the letter states. "This new form of casino gaming, called instant racing, has been determined in several states to be nothing more than illegal video slot machines attempting to pass as horse racing. If instant racing is not stopped, we could see these installed in one location in every county in the state."

Douglas Okuniewicz, manager of the Post Falls Greyhound Park and Event Center, said the letter doesn't surprise him much. The park installed 35 of the instant horse racing machines last year.

He said many of those who signed the letter have ties with the Idaho Indian tribes that are trying to outlaw the machines.

"Sandi Bloem works for the Gallatin Group, and they are representing the Sho-Ban Tribe on this issue," he said, adding obviously Bloem is going to support the tribes' position.

Bloem said there is no connection between her employer and the letter. She was acting in her personal capacity when she signed the letter, she said.

"I think the letter goes beyond protecting the tribe," she said. "It also protects the laws of Idaho and its constitution."

What did surprise Okuniewicz, however, was seeing Ron Nilson, owner of Ground Force Worldwide, had signed the letter.

"I find it hard to believe that he signed the letter," Okuniewicz said. "He is friend of mine, and he sits on our foundation's board. If he did sign the letter, I find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't have called me first."

Nilson could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Helo Hancock, legislative director for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, did confirm that Nilson signed the letter.

Meanwhile, the Legislature is slated to take up the issue of repealing instant racing in Idaho in the Senate State Affairs Committee at 8 a.m. mountain time on Monday.

Okuniewicz said Coeur d'Alene Racing, which owns the Greyhound Park, will be represented by a lobbyist in that hearing.

"There will be a big turnout on both sides of this," he said. "I guess we will see how it goes."