Aqu for sale/closing?

[betovernetcapper]

According to NY Daily News Aqu may be history.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/06/26/2007-06-26_on_last_legs.html

This is a shocker if true

[xtb]

"...the 192-acre horse-racing complex might be shuttered, leaving Belmont and Saratoga as the state's only Thoroughbred tracks."


Finger Lakes gets no respect.

[ELA]

It's not shocking of course, but I find it "politically" challenging, and very interesting that Spitzer has one mindset, and Sen. Bruno has the complete opposite mindset. Based upon my limited knowledge of legislative procedures and protocols, I do believe that Sen. Bruno -- as Senate majority leader -- has the ability to either stonewall or stop any legislation that comes in front of the Senate.

I think that Spitzer has the right idea -- thorough, global and comprehensive due diligence.

Eric

[Hammerhead]

Rumor has it that it may fetch up to a billion dollars

[OTM Al]

Bruno doesn't want Aqueduct closed and wants slots to go in as scheduled
Translation Bruno has kickbacks lined up for the Aqueduct slots project.

Spitzer wants to close Aqueduct and move slots to Belmont.
Translation Spitzer does not have kickbacks from Aqueduct but is reasonably sure he can get some from its sale and from construction at Belmont.

All pretty simple to me.

[BadaBing]

It will never close!

[samyn on the green]

Do you all remember the big charges that Spitzer brought up against NYRA in 2003-2005? The mutual clerk scandal, the waiter taking big tips scandal and the jockey weight/Baeza scandal? To the masses it looked like Spitzer was the golden boy and was swooping in to save racing from corruption. The truth was that he was laying down a smoke screen to set up his developer friends for a land grab/slot francise score.

Those scandals while Spitzer was AG against NYRA are the justification for this land grap. Spitzers developer friends associated with Excelsior are going to be handed the Aqueduct property for pennies on the dollar, which can be flipped/developed for billions. Excelsior head Richard Fields funded Spitzers campaign to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars and provided the private jets for fund raising trips. Now Fields stands to score with a slot machine franchise, which Spitzer is going to award to fields outside of the bidding process. Companies spend millions on business plans and bids, companies like NYRA, Capitiol Play and Empire racing. Spiter is void the bidding process and just wants to give the franchise to his friends. In addition to the slots francise Fields and his Excelsior racing will be awarded the huge Aqueduct property which is another Billion dollar deal.


See how easy it is to fool the masses in NY? You go after a few patsys like the mutual clerks, that Saratoga waiter or old Jockey Baeza, fool the public into believing someone is corrupt and then you replace them with your friends. Score with cheap land and with slots. Corruption and Spitzer go hand and hand. Don't be fooled, Spitzer is the face of a cabal of racketeers. He is stealing the property of the taxpayers and distributing it to his friends.

[PaceAdvantage]

Speaking of Baeza (and former clerk of scales Mario Sclafani), how come we have heard NOTHING about this case for the past year? What about all those famous (and not so famous) jocks who were named in the indictment as co-conspirators? Names like Albarado, Santos, Cornelio Velasquez, Ariel Smith, Herberto Castillo Jr...

What has become of this case? As a NYS taxpayer, I want to know why there has been NO NEWS (that I can find) on this case since this item last appeared one year ago:

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2006/June/06/New-York-attorney-general-re-files-case-against-Baeza-Sclafani.aspx

[samyn on the green]

Last I heard from another poster on another board is that the state had to drop 50 of 173 charges. However the state is still moving forward with the case, which of course after 2 years has cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars. After grabbing the front page on anti-racing rags like the Daily News, they have nothing to say about this case.


The reason that you have not heard about it is that the purpose of the case is over. It provided the scandal that Spitzer needed Travers week 2005 and provided the justification for the NY Times to refer to NYRA as the Troubled NYRA when ever they refer to NYRA. Speaking of Baeza (and former clerk of scales Mario Sclafani), how come we have heard NOTHING about this case for the past year? What about all those famous (and not so famous) jocks who were named in the indictment as co-conspirators? Names like Albarado, Santos, Cornelio Velasquez, Ariel Smith, Herberto Castillo Jr...

What has become of this case? As a NYS taxpayer, I want to know why there has been NO NEWS (that I can find) on this case since this item last appeared one year ago:

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2006/June/06/New-York-attorney-general-re-files-case-against-Baeza-Sclafani.aspx

[turfbar]

Do you all remember the big charges that Spitzer brought up against NYRA in 2003-2005? The mutual clerk scandal, the waiter taking big tips scandal and the jockey weight/Baeza scandal? To the masses it looked like Spitzer was the golden boy and was swooping in to save racing from corruption. The truth was that he was laying down a smoke screen to set up his developer friends for a land grab/slot francise score.

Those scandals while Spitzer was AG against NYRA are the justification for this land grap. Spitzers developer friends associated with Excelsior are going to be handed the Aqueduct property for pennies on the dollar, which can be flipped/developed for billions. Excelsior head Richard Fields funded Spitzers campaign to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars and provided the private jets for fund raising trips. Now Fields stands to score with a slot machine franchise, which Spitzer is going to award to fields outside of the bidding process. Companies spend millions on business plans and bids, companies like NYRA, Capitiol Play and Empire racing. Spiter is void the bidding process and just wants to give the franchise to his friends. In addition to the slots francise Fields and his Excelsior racing will be awarded the huge Aqueduct property which is another Billion dollar deal.


See how easy it is to fool the masses in NY? You go after a few patsys like the mutual clerks, that Saratoga waiter or old Jockey Baeza, fool the public into believing someone is corrupt and then you replace them with your friends. Score with cheap land and with slots. Corruption and Spitzer go hand and hand. Don't be fooled, Spitzer is the face of a cabal of racketeers. He is stealing the property of the taxpayers and distributing it to his friends.

You're so right so right I couln't have said it better, its so easy to fool the masses my kudos to you

Turfbar

[Tom]

Anyone living in NYS and not in jail is not too bright to begin with.
I know...I live here! :eek:

[garyoz]

The reason that you have not heard about it is that the purpose of the case is over. It provided the scandal that Spitzer needed Travers week 2005 and provided the justification for the NY Times to refer to NYRA as the Troubled NYRA when ever they refer to NYRA.


Absolutely correct. The typical NY Times half truths in order to benefit the "progressive" governor. This was cooked up so Spitzer and his political allies can get shakedown money when they handout the franchise/slots license. Their self rightousness really is a barf alert. Hypocrites.