April 11 is D-Day for NYC OTB, and the Assembly is said to be working on a plan to save it, along with the jobs and the vital payments to NYRA that would go down with it. There was a report the other day about a proposal by Rep Gary Pretlow that would involve layoffs, including amongst the management ranks, and a 10% cut in OTB's statutory payments to the racing industry.
However, I've learned that the Assembly is, as an alternative, working on a plan which would skim racino dollars from the harness tracks in order to bail out OTB. Yonkers would be hit particularly hard, to the tune of some $23 million. "Racino guys upset," I'm told. Can't blame them, but racino profits are always a tempting target, as we've seen in other states. And recall that the racinos got an increase in their share for marketing a couple of years ago. One way or another, the racing industry is going to have to pay their share for any OTB bailout at this point.
Also told that Governor Paterson is close to an agreement with the legislative leaders regarding a new round of bidding for the Big A racino....one with well-defined criteria for which the bidders will be scored, perhaps, and hopefully, based on the fully transparent process conducted by the Ad Hoc committee for the racing franchise under the Pataki Administration many, many, many, many moons ago.
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Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Slots Dough To The Rescue?
Posted by Alan Mann at 10:42 AM
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7 Comments:
There is some great info on NYC OTB cost cutting options on Steve Zorn's blog, it is a must read.
http://businessofracing.blogspot.com/
Anyone else getting virus alert messages on the DRF website? My AVG warned me today that the site would leave me vulnerable to malware. (insert snarky remark here)
Seriously - I want to download a card, but I'm scared to go back. I haven't had such an error message in 2 years and haven't reconfigured anything. I e-mailed the DRF and got a return message that their mailfolder is above its quota.
Allen, NYCOTB is going to get bailed out by the industry. All due to the legislature's failure to stand up to the 500lb gorilla, known as OTB. The industry is going to get a 15% haircut all to keep NYC OTB management and labor unions afloat. Complete bullshit. A god damn disgrace. Assembly and Senate were all about not cutting the industry, and what is going to happen? They give in and cut the industry's legs to keep the archaic $12.5M payroll of NYCOTB alive. Save the parasite and kill the host.
Pool 2 Future Field Bet @ 3-1, my biggest wager all year, how's it looking? Mission Impazible, Ice Box, Endorsement, Dean's Kitten, awesome Act, Interactif, homeboykris, Make Music for me, Backtalk, and Pleasant Prince (and any new shooter that pops up this weekend.)
It's a nice group of horses, but only a couple I think can compete with the likes of Esky, Sidney's Candy, and Lucky.
My question is this; would you take 3-1 right now on that group?
DS
DS - not unless they switched from dirt to AWT.
Endorsement will be more than 10-1 on his own, and he is the only horse in your field on which I would consider wagering.
Good luck though, schott happens, tough race to predict.
DS, what will be and interesting exercise will be to see if you could have spread that money out over all those horses and guaranteed yourself a higher return than the 3-1.
I like Interactiv, Endorsement, and Pleasant Prince if gets in. But the rest are all Mine that Birds.
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