Miff:
If you were going to curtail live racing in NY for a solid block of time,you
would think that the powers that be would want to have a nice facility where
they could operate their VLTs and take 6 - 8 weeks of 12 hour per day simulcasts
from tracks in Arkansas, Florida, California, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and
Arizona in addition to harness racing.
I agree with Marcus that Aqueduct\'s location is superior to Belmont\'s. The live
gate may never get back to where it was and probably would max out downstate
under optimum conditions (nice facility/high quality racing/shortened racing
season) at 4000-5000 on a weekday and maybe 10,000 on a weekend. But the gate,
even figuring in concessions and parking, is not where the money will be made;
the increased income should come from the use of the building (VLTs, Simo, NY\'s
first jai-alai fronton (just kidding), a wide range of restaurants,a sports bar
or two) when live racing is NOT being conducted.
Neither of the two existing buildings are suitable for these purposes. At the
moment Belmont and Aqueduct are the world\'s largest and second largest pigeon
coops. These 2 buildings are for the most part oversized, filthy, unfriendly and
difficult to maintain; they have been that way for at least the last decade. New
Yorkers will not tolerate this.
The Mets and Yankees will each be in new stadiums by 2010. The unappreciated NJ
Devils will have a new home in Newark of all places. The Nets,if marketed
properly after their move to Brooklyn in 2009, could be the hottest of all the
NY franchises(especially if the Dolan clan still resides on 34th Street).
I disagree with TGJB that medication issues should be brought to the forefront
in NY at this time given the enormity of NY racing\'s problems, which
were not caused by and go far beyond drugs. To try to fix \"the drug problem\" is
well intentioned but at this point is akin to adjusting the drapes on the
Titanic. Restore New York racing to where it was in the 1970s, when it had the
top racing in the US and arguably the most stringent medication restrictions
and lead the rest of racing by example.
New York racing needs a new image in New York. The new image could be
represented by a new or renovated to new facility at one of the 2 downstate
locations. This facility would be open 355 days or so a year, grinding out
income by offering simo, food, drink, 7 months of live racing and VLTs in an
appropriate setting.
Take the income from this multi purpose cash cow and improve racing. Improve
racing by building a backstretch and track surfaces which are horse and trainer
friendly. Improve racing by increasing purses. I would even give some money to
the New York Greeders. I would pay them money in the form of a crop subsidy;
that is I would incentivize the limitation of the NY bred foal crop so that at
least during the Spring, Summer and Fall championship seasons the NY tracks have
a chance to put a competitive product out on the satellite. To me this means
running more races open to horses bred in any state or country.
Improve New York racing by running 50 racing days at the Upstate cash cow, 10 5-
day weeks; its really not many more days than are being run now.
Miff the point about Crist and DRF is a good one but points out another problem:
NY racing\'s attempt to reinvent itself will not be helped by the NY newspapers;
Bossert, Drape and Fountaine just do not get enough space in their mainstream
papers to help bring racing in this area to light.
