The Georgia Senate's Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee approved a constitutional amendment that would allow Georgians to vote later this year as to whether to legalize pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing.

Although there still remains a long road ahead, as the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports, Wednesday's vote was the first step in completing that journey.

The proposal will now go to the full Senate.

Earlier this week, several committee members were skeptical as to whether horse racing would produce the $500 million in revenue projected each year, and the estimated 5,000 new jobs.

However, since that meeting on Monday, members of the Georgia Horse Racing Coalition were able to answer many of the questions brought up by committee members, and the legislation was approved.