Help with horse racing story I'm researching

[andicap]

Does anyone know of any bars/restaurants -- relatively upscale ones are better -- which were going concerns and then took in OTBs. That is they began showing racing in the bars and taking bets?

For example, in NYC Playwright Tavern on 35th Street did that earlier this year.....

Just looking for names and locations and anything you know about the places.

Thanks.

[saratoga guy]

Up in my neck of the woods there's a restaurant called Crystal Bar -- not exactly what I would call "upscale", but it's been around for years as a nice, family-owned Italian restaurant.

They became an "EZ Bet" location sometime within the past few years (EZ Bet's are what the local OTB system calls these "alternative" parlors). They do a pretty good OTB business and in fact the "official" parlor in town took a noticeable drop in attendance after Crystal opened the OTB outlet.

Just recently the restaurant underwent a major expansion -- I don't know if it was related to the OTB directly, but the restaurant had been around for years and years prior without expanding...

If you go to the Capital OTB website (capitalotb.com) I believe there is a link that will show all the EZ Bet locations.

[OTM Al]

The Irish Circle took in OTB when they rennovated a few years back I believe. From what my girlfriend tells me, it was a fairly popular place though had gotten run down. Their rennovation efforts were very nice though, but the OTB kinda nixed the house bookie.....

[OTM Al]

Just to add, I just asked my GF if I had the facts right and she concurred. Also, the bar itself had been there (Rockaways) for a very long time, she guesses nearly 100 years, and was in a very bad state of repair before all the renovations, but despite the shape it was in it was still extremely popular.

[toetoe]

don't know whether they were pre-existing restaurants, but oregon has a big off-track scene, more restaurants than fairgrounds. they have a usurious 5% takeout off the top , if you wager anywhere in the state other than portland meadows, so the food better be good. also, fresno,ca. has a second simulcast site downtown; supposed to be very nice. probably built new. san francisco could really use something like that.

[Valuist]

I've been to a place outside Phoenix like that. A restaurant/sports bar with 2 betting windows in the rear and a few TV monitors.

[Jeff P]

I used to live in AZ.

A few years ago, Turf Paradise established a network of OTBs around the state. I think you can find a list posted on their website.

None of them are what you would call truly upscale. Most were resturants that added the signal and provided floor space enough for a couple of teller windows in exchange for the built in customer base that shows up each day to play horses.

I know of one location, Charlie Clark's Steakhouse in Pinetop, AZ that has quite a history (and pretty decent steaks as well) that seems to have blended the addition of an OTB with its regular customer base quite well. If you're looking to combine writing a story with a little vacation, I'm sure you can find it there.

I went skiing at nearby Sunrise Park a couple of winters ago and was intrigued by the idea of not skiing the final day of the trip so I could play horses, but my friends didn't allow me to do that.

[Valuist]

The place I went to in AZ was in Chandler. I would say definitely not upscale. Decent, adequate, but not upscale.

[Red Knave]

Hi Andy

There was a restaurant in Kleinburg, north of Woodbine, called The Doctor's House, that was quite a nice restaurant. (We may even have talked about the town when we were at Saratoga). About 20 years ago, my wife and I enjoyed one of our most memorable evenings there. Our first time in a restaurant that had a separate area to eat dessert. It was upstairs, with comfy sofas, a fireplace and a small band.
Anyway, it became part of the Champions OTB group for quite a while. I think the owner had some connection to the Jockey Club or was a horse owner or something. The restaurant itself went downhill, imho.
I just looked up the website http://www.thedoctorshouse.ca/main.html
and it appears to be just a restaurant again and it is no longer in the list of OTB's.

[ceejay]

http://www.funfresh.com/crabtown_menu.htm used to have OTB upstairs.

Welcome to Pearl's Crabtown.
in Bricktown, Oklahoma City
Left Field Sports Grill
Off-track Betting Parlor;


I'm not sure if it is still open, because it's not on the RP OTB list, and the link to the OTB is dead. When I went there once a few years ago there were about 8 people there.

The resturant is part of the premier seafood resturant chain in central OK.

[cryptic1]

I went to a sports bar in scottsdale a couple of years ago. It
had 1 mutuel clerk and 4 or 5 Tvs. It was pretty sad. The
simulcasting menu was pretty wierd as well. 4 races from
belmont, 2 from calder 4 from hollywood etc. I imagine serious
bettors in Az must be on the internet.

Red Knave, one of the previous owners of the Drs. House was
a horse owner. The place evidently never made money with
simulcasting and the new owners ditched the horses. It certainly
was a nice venue.
Woodbine Entertainment renovated a site in downtown Toronto,
on Bay St. (Canada's version of Wall Street). It opened this
year and looks like a private club. They spent a fortune and
even went to the expense of hiring a first class chef. However,
the place is always empty, so perhaps, spending money isn't
always the answer.

cryptic1

[Red Knave]

Originally posted by cryptic1
Red Knave, one of the previous owners of the Drs. House was
a horse owner. The place evidently never made money with
simulcasting and the new owners ditched the horses. It certainly
was a nice venue.

I knew somebody would know. ;) Thanks cryptic.

[andicap]

Thanks for all of your help.
I'm visiting one of them tomorrow (my budget doesn't allow me to actually travel anywhere so I'm taking the train into NYC-- woo-hoo!!)

Playwright Tavern in midtown. A relatively upscale place that recently put in OTB.

[horsemaven]

I've been to Playwright a couple of times. On the second floor, there's a nice bar/restaurant with the OTB windows set up at one end. Many of the dining tables have individual televisions. On Saturday afternoons, the place was practically empty. Then I discovered why. Unlike the OTB-operated establishments like The Winner's Circle, all bets made at the windows carry the onerous OTB surcharge.

Mike

[fouroneone]

Originally posted by horsemaven
I've been to Playwright a couple of times. On the second floor, there's a nice bar/restaurant with the OTB windows set up at one end. Many of the dining tables have individual televisions. On Saturday afternoons, the place was practically empty. Then I discovered why. Unlike the OTB-operated establishments like The Winner's Circle, all bets made at the windows carry the onerous OTB surcharge.

Mike

But unlike the eateries that pay track prices, their is no admission fee.

[Hosshead]

Originally posted by toetoe
don't know whether they were pre-existing restaurants, but Oregon has a big off-track scene, more restaurants than fairgrounds. they have a usurious 5% takeout off the top , if you wager anywhere in the state other than portland meadows, How is the Online betting climate in Oregon? Any restrictions on which sites (or states) you can bet with? (No 5% off the top I hope!) I'm thinking about moving there. I know that Oregon has internet betting companys located there. Does that make for any advantages or disadvantages to online betting there?

[joeprunes]

Hey Andy how about the one in lake george??

[andicap]

Which one is that, Joe? I'm not familiar with it?

[joeprunes]

Andy, its on that way when you enter lake george fron 9n it will be on the left about a mile. It changed hands several times it use to be a chinese rest. I think rickrack or something like that, then changed hand 2 more times it just a restraunt with otb. Call the police or fire dept they will tell you the name and maybe some history....jp