Governor Paterson is slated to meet in private with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader John Sampson in Manhattan at 2:30 today to discuss the Aqueduct bidding....and Tom Precious reports on Bloodhorse.com that we're down to three - AEG, SL Green, and Delaware North. Or maybe I should say, up to three, since Crain's New York earlier in the week reported that it was down to two - Penn National and SL Green.
The governor is said to be favoring the bid by SL Green and Hard Rock, while Senate Democratic leaders have been pushing Aqueduct Entertainment Group, which is a consortium of Las Vegas casino company Navegante Group, construction companies, and a group tied to the Rev. Floyd Flake, a former Queens congressman who is close to Senate President Malcolm Smith. Silver, the Assembly leader, has not, as is often his negotiating style, made crystal clear his choice, but in the past he favored Delaware North. [Bloodhorse.com]Each of these three latest presumed front-runners comes with its own baggage of course - AEG would be seen as a political favor for Senator Malcolm Smith, and SL Green includes the Seminole tribe which is under fire for defiantly operating table games in Florida despite their being illegal under state law. If Delaware North gets the nod, many will wonder if this trip was really necessary, and why the state simply could not have re-negotiated their prior deal once they couldn't come up with the inflated down payment.
Precious writes that "a decision could come later in the day." Maybe. Or perhaps Steve Wynn will call and say he was just kidding and he wants back in. It's just hard to take any of this seriously at this stage, so we'll just stay tuned.
[UPDATE: I was told at around 4:30 that the meeting broke off with no decision reached.]
- There are rumblings in the Florida legislature now to take on the intransigent Seminoles by simply opening the entire state to full-fledged casinos. The tribe has pissed off some formerly anti-gambling Republican lawmakers to the point where they could now be ready to authorize a full-fledged assault. (Nice to see the GOP sticking to their ideological guns. Considering the passionate resistance they have put up to gambling in Florida in the past, this seems comparable to the Party of No agreeing to a single payer system with Al Franken as Health Care Czar.)
“Florida is a gaming state, No. 6 in the nation,” said State Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, chairman of the Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review. “Right now we have all of the worst of gaming and none of the best.”
....
“As anti-gaming as I was, it’s here, and it’s not going away,” said Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale. “You go to Plan B, which is free market.”
Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, said “We can compete head on with the tribe. We need to say absolutely no to this compact — period.” [News-Press]
7 Comments:
SLG is the only one on both lists, so that probably disqualifies them.
I bet on AEG at long odds way back when on this blog, why change now, as usual the embarrassment of themost obvious political ploy will not prevent business as usual in Albany from taking precedent over what best for the parties most effected.
Watchful Horseman.
The Queens Community 10 Board, New York Horsemen & Breeders, local unions, expecting work & Permanent Jobs, 'Do Not want', Delaware North, after the last debacle.
When their true family Buffalo colors, were arrogantly on display and they ignored Queens constituents, until thrown a Community Handbook, after they had won Paterson's favor with a 'paper tiger', open cheque book.
Governor Paterson, if you choose Buffalo's, Delaware North again, there will be a severe voting backlash, even now the winds of change are gathering well beyond the Aqueduct backstretch.
Alan had AEG the betting favorite well before most others. He has kind of backed of his selection for some reason and is now making his bets on others, but as we get closer to post time, i think he'll grow fonder of AEG's odds and try them again at the windows in order to cash a ticket.
Watchful Horseman
But what makes my side, really, really mad, is that I/we broke the news first, that Delaware North could not guarantee their promised $370m, immediately after they were awarded the project.
And I kept on repeating this fact, in LETG follow-ups, at the time.
How did I/we know - there lies a sickening, messy story, but not for today.
Alan check your records, to confirm above.
We choose you Alan, as you attract, not only a qualified cross section of NY racing, but relevant NY pols, and I remember you scribed then, 'if it's true, it's a well kept secret'.
Who do/did we want ; Wynn, without Steve's, anti-union, community stance, SLG without their Indians and so on, being all bidders, have pluses and minuses.
The immediate 3 - their chit trading will eventually be resolved, but perhaps continual stalling tactics, for the coming, pending litigation case, 'fallout', scenarios, concerning related bidders,
is a factor.
Even NYRA's Charlie Hayward, may find his once, 'we're behind you Charlie', stoic, but over the top, political board, splintering deeply, over prolonged issues, including OTC, public support for SLG, and so on, as also he/ NYRA, warily stumble up yet again, the NY court steps.
Watchful Horseman
Penn were accommodating, all round recently, but when you are the favorite, related negative shit, seems to suddenly, publicly,
be displayed, ie; their also, coming litigation.
AEG, like SLG, strongly support Queen's period, but media articles, stating political AEG overtones, make one think -
do any such pols, really believe in NY racing, being now, a by-product - for NY pols agenda's.
I understand such senior political closed doors, are chit trading, but from NY racing, community side of the coin, so good
'if any of them', would be front and center, PUBLICLY, in their agenda's.
Picked a bit, on Charlie Hayward, but his racing heart, is in and has been, in the right place, but trouble there is, his complex political board.
I understand such senior political closed doors, are chit trading, but from NY racing, community side of the coin, so good
'if any of them', would be front and center, PUBLICLY, in their agenda's.
Picked a bit on Charlie Hayward, but his racing heart, is in and has been, in the right place, but trouble there is,
his complex political board.
Malcolm is the only reason SLG/Hard Rock wasn't chosen yesterday, stubbornly advocating AEG. Surprising? Hardly. How long can he keep this not so transparent stance? I give him a week.
No, there were several reasons SLGreen was not chosen yesterday, or any other day for that matter.
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