tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post5922848791250296579..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: It's The Weather, StupidAlan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-39922157209048528462009-08-01T09:35:34.502-04:002009-08-01T09:35:34.502-04:00The NYCOTB organization is pitiful. I suppose it d...The NYCOTB organization is pitiful. I suppose it does create patronage jobs as politicans always have to return favors, and serves to take some money away from the street bookies. It just doesn't serve modern day parimutual wagering needs. It's more of a gathering place for those that need somplace to go, so maybe some social purpose.<br /><br />When Sandy Frucher puts it into Chapter 9 bankruptcy, the NYRA may be able to bargain. What concerns me a bit, having followed the Aqueduct VLT award drama, are the comments that Steve Duncker and Charlie Hayward have made where if the NYRA controlled at least NYCOTB, they wouldn't necessarily need the VLT subsidies from Aqueduct. If this played out, where would the NY Breeders and Horsemen be in the "new OTB entity" mix if Aqueduct VLT's were ignored or slowed down, as that's the only place those groups have a statutory provision to get a piece od the action? They should be watching this as it develops very carefully.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-55073541212789476342009-07-31T21:39:39.038-04:002009-07-31T21:39:39.038-04:00IF NYRA had these issues the State would indict th...IF NYRA had these issues the State would indict them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-69068762089069956292009-07-31T21:24:22.051-04:002009-07-31T21:24:22.051-04:00http://tinyurl.com/l2lsrz
OTB'S BLEAK ODDS
AU...http://tinyurl.com/l2lsrz<br /><br />OTB'S BLEAK ODDS<br />AUDIT: IT'LL GO BUST<br /><br />ALBANY -- New York City's OTB, saddled with a bloated payroll, too many outlets, a huge fleet of cars and several no-bid contracts, "is unlikely to avoid financial insolvency," a scathing state audit has found. <br /><br />The audit found that OTB management had not conducted a study of its staffing needs since 1981 -- before the initiation of telephone and Internet betting options that account for an increasing percentage of wagering. <br /><br />It also discovered that OTB maintained a total of 87 vehicles, including several recently purchased high-priced SUVs, 22 of which were routinely used by executives to commute to and from work.jknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-89363896083092638182009-07-31T21:02:26.096-04:002009-07-31T21:02:26.096-04:00Read the Bloodhorse article. Sounds like a nice co...Read the Bloodhorse article. Sounds like a nice competition amongst this go round of bidders for Aqueduct. One thing struck me as inconsistent, S.L Green and the Hardrock Seminole Indians say they have no ties to any current operators in CT, PA or NJ. Yet, Jeff Gural, a well know NY casino guy and one of Hardrock/Seminole key guys is a pricipal investor in the Bethlehem Sands casino in PA?<br /><br />So why would S.L. Green forget about Jeff Gural's investment in a bordering state?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-29653869789727072802009-07-31T17:06:10.014-04:002009-07-31T17:06:10.014-04:00Bloodhorse piece at conclusion of Aqueduct present...Bloodhorse piece at conclusion of Aqueduct presentations today.<br /><br />http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51920/6-groups-finish-aqueduct-casino-presentations<br /><br />So now what?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-56603563299004038122009-07-31T16:30:24.087-04:002009-07-31T16:30:24.087-04:00You are my favorite lefty blogger and after sittin...You are my favorite lefty blogger and after sitting through two consecutive rainy opening days at the Spa, Del Mar is starting to look good to me. Maybe next year.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03874325506841146077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-78099625075250098872009-07-31T13:20:00.650-04:002009-07-31T13:20:00.650-04:00"It ain't the track's fault". B..."It ain't the track's fault". But it was the track's fault when the breakdowns were occuring on dirt.ballyfagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946523913002020541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-48840329674233633642009-07-31T12:18:34.529-04:002009-07-31T12:18:34.529-04:00"attempt to ban all the pot smoking"
I ..."attempt to ban all the pot smoking"<br /><br />I know this is tilting at windmills, but with beer being poured at the White House as salve for racial tension, aren't we as a society behaving just a little stupidly by continuing the drug prohibition?<br /><br />We're swimming in a sea of red ink, but paying how much $$ to incarcerate people who, without prohibition, wouldn't be criminals?<br /><br />And we've got guys dying in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, which bankrolls its operations selling poppies for heroin, which is only only lucrative because we ban it. <br /><br />Both parties suffer from political glaucoma. If they smoked reefer together, we'd get bipartisan agreement on health care very quickly. Of course the next day, no one would remember what the plan was.steve in nchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04061356872686618093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-28800547132118667142009-07-31T11:45:36.190-04:002009-07-31T11:45:36.190-04:00Backtalk -- son of Smarty Jones -- won the Gr. 2 S...Backtalk -- son of Smarty Jones -- won the Gr. 2 Sanford at Saratoga on Thursday.<br />Lots of competitive spirit and Smarty's first real prospect.<br />Maybe he will finally overcome the Birdstone jinx.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-23007440396312165082009-07-31T11:39:30.584-04:002009-07-31T11:39:30.584-04:00The Times Union reports on who has bid what for th...The Times Union reports on who has bid what for the Big A Racino. It looks like the State will get less than half of what Del. North originally promised.<br /><br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/lrpqtl<br /><br />Aqueduct franchise fee pegged at $145 million<br /><br />July 30, 2009 at 2:01 pm by James M. Odato<br /><br />Robert Megna, the director of the state Division of the Budget, today said the DOB is estimating a franchise fee of $145 million will be collected from the operator of an Aqueduct video lottery terminal facility. That “franchise payment” is booked as coming in between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, he said, but added that a selection of a bidder should happen this summer.<br /><br />Aqueduct Entertainment, a group which includes the builders of Casino Niagara (Ontario) has bid $151 million, including $101 up front and $50 million when the facility is up and running; and MGM/Don Peebles has bid $150 million, according to bidding sources. SL Green has proposed a conditional bid of $250 million, including $100 million guaranteed. Others were below those levels in terms of up-front dollars: Wynn put in a bid of $75 million (he said he is willing to up that ante); Penn National bid $5 million; Delaware North bid $100 million, according to sources.jknoreply@blogger.com