NYRA

[PlanB]

What a clever ploy, move. NYRA merges with OTB. Empire-Excelsior how does that sound? Man, let me be 100% real here: Every player here has something to be ashamed of, but ONLY NYRA's sins are evident. With this move, I see a resurgent NYRA. I want NY racing to be NY. I don't want Magna to be involved in anyway, no matter. That leaves the Steinbrenner & son team + real estate moguls: I say NO WAY. Look what Georgie did to my Yankees, thinking that money is always the remedy. At any rate, although I said many times that NYRA would not re-franchise, my heart is with them provided that THEY SHOW LOVE FOR US BETTORS.

[PaceAdvantage]

I believe the stories I have read say that NYCOTB (NYC is merely one of FOUR regional OTB bureaucracies out there in NY State) wants to merge with whomever gets the franchise, not necessarily NYRA and not necessarily now. Or did I misread?

[Snow Chief]

you were right . . . .

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36607

[alysheba88]

Here is a must read for those looking to see what is really going on

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=80774&subs=0&arc=1

[classhandicapper]

I haven't followed this story very closely because no matter what the decision is, I'm sure I'm not going to like it. I do have one comment about a single quote in the article though.

"What would Spitzer's rationale be for allocating slots or racing profits to out-of-state private investors instead of to the state treasury and the racing industry?"

One possible incentive would be that a "for profit" entity might manage itself more efficiently and create a better product because the benefits of efficiency and a better product accrue to them. A non-profit might be more inclined to provide jobs and benefits to friends and other connected people.

Granted, with government involved I doubt efficiency and quality is even a consideration. :bang:

[Ron]

I wish they would replace OTB. They're run worse than NYRA. :lol:

[classhandicapper]

I wish they would replace OTB. They're run worse than NYRA. :lol:

I was once having lunch in a downtown NY simulcasting facility and Hazel Duke and her entourage from OTB came in for lunch (this was quite awhile ago). I was able to listen to their entire lunch time conversation. It was all about taking market share from the track and creating/sustaining jobs. Not once did the subject of improving racing, working with NYRA, creating a bigger pie for both etc.. come up. There was no interest in the product at all.