New debates about racing industry in New York
New York’s racing industry is facing several changes after a restructuring of operations.
US.- After petition to reprivatise New York Racing Association (NYRA), operator of Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Aqueduct racetrack in Queens and Belmont Park on Long Island, experts explain future plans. With the upcoming expansion of Genting gaming center, experts would hold further meetings to debate the Aqueduct racetrack situation.
New York Aqueduct Racetrack would be expanded with exclusive entertainment services, such as new gaming machines, restaurants and retail stores. Resorts World, operating company, announced new plans for its Queens venue as part of Genting Group’s development in the United States.
“If we decided tomorrow to come to an agreement with Genting and the state on moving racing out of Aqueduct, it still would be a four- or five-year project,” said Rick Violette, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association to thoroughbreddailynews.com. “When you start reconfiguring Belmont–and I’m losing my argument, I just assumed blow it up and start with a clean piece of paper–but I think we’re going to end up rehabbing and reconfiguring the existing Belmont Park.”
Meanwhile, Senator Kathleen Marchione, who represents Saratoga Springs, highlighted: “Year after year, reprivatisation was delayed. Some expressed concerns that the reprivatisation would never happen.”
“It was one of the biggest public policy challenges that we have faced as legislators. The focus was for the state to finally honour its promise to reprivatize NYRA without changing the formula on how monies would be allocated. It faced a great deal of resistance and pushback from Albany. It’s not an exaggeration to say that reprivatisation was a major lift.”
