OTB working in NJ?

[wonatthewire1]

having been to some of the OTB's in VA (not going to talk about NY's) this one looks like a nice one in Woodbridge, NJ and it is doing well

From todays Newark Star Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1206164163102960.xml&coll=1

page 3 of the article tells of the increase in handle overall in NJ with the internet betting and the OTW facilities.

[onefast99]

Yep it is very nice and if they get rid of the Woodbridge mayor they will have a few more soon. Seems he thinks that the OTW is bad for his town citing traffic issues and overall issues with parking. I dont think he realizes there are two huge malls within 3 miles of one another and the expansion project on rt 1 is in full swing. Ford avenue is a nightmare due to all the mall traffic and he blames this on Favorites. What a jacko.

[alhattab]

It just goes to show you what happens when surroundings are nice and the business actually caters to the consumers. What a novel concept!

[onefast99]

It just goes to show you what happens when surroundings are nice and the business actually caters to the consumers. What a novel concept!
And the restaurant food is pretty good, beats the aramark dog food served at the Meadowlands and Monmouth park. Great job by Mcloones on the food!

[alhattab]

Yeah the Aramark food is pretty bad. The only thing they have managed to not screw up is the clam chowder. Still the best Manhattan clam I've had. I can't believe they only sell it upstairs and in the restaurants.

[Kelso]

Yep it is very nice and if they get rid of the Woodbridge mayor they will have a few more soon. Seems he thinks that the OTW is bad for his town

<snip>

What a jacko.


What else can ya 'spect from the town that sent (then-Mayor) Jim McGreevy and his boyfriend to the Governor's Mansion?

[thespaah]

having been to some of the OTB's in VA (not going to talk about NY's) this one looks like a nice one in Woodbridge, NJ and it is doing well

From todays Newark Star Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1206164163102960.xml&coll=1

page 3 of the article tells of the increase in handle overall in NJ with the internet betting and the OTW facilities.
Anything that may cost towns money and residents in additional taxes, traffic or just the mere presence of outsiders, is a tough sell. NJ is by far the biggest NIMBY state in the US..
Just take a look at articles regarding cell phne towers and other facaitilies.
I am glad to see "Favorites" is doing well.
At this point, the ailing NJ Horse racing industry needs any kind of shot in the arm. Perhaps OTW's can be that injection.

[njcurveball]

Imagine getting approval to build 15 Mcdonalds and 6 years later, there are 2 open and no more in the works?

That is NJ OTB! Now imagine a legislation giving lip service such as

The horse racing industry is economically important to the state and the general welfare of the people of the State will be promoted by the advancement of horse racing and related projects and facilities in the State.

The supposed "intent" of the bill was to promote the economic future of the horse racing industry!

Yeah right! This and other fairy tales are found in the bill

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/al01/199_.pdf

It is the same double talk that allows the Northern half to withdraw and deposit money at tracks while the Southern half cannot do it at Casinos, Vineland, or ACRC. Last I checked all of those places were in NJ as well.

It is the same double talk that will allow betting at ACRC next month at ZERO simulcast outlets. How can a state pay purses with the opportunity of simulcasting for additional money and NOT do it?

If NJ racing were a broadway play, it would be the Producers. :bang:

[thespaah]

Imagine getting approval to build 15 Mcdonalds and 6 years later, there are 2 open and no more in the works?

That is NJ OTB! Now imagine a legislation giving lip service such as

The horse racing industry is economically important to the state and the general welfare of the people of the State will be promoted by the advancement of horse racing and related projects and facilities in the State.

The supposed "intent" of the bill was to promote the economic future of the horse racing industry!

Yeah right! This and other fairy tales are found in the bill

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/al01/199_.pdf

It is the same double talk that allows the Northern half to withdraw and deposit money at tracks while the Southern half cannot do it at Casinos, Vineland, or ACRC. Last I checked all of those places were in NJ as well.

It is the same double talk that will allow betting at ACRC next month at ZERO simulcast outlets. How can a state pay purses with the opportunity of simulcasting for additional money and NOT do it?

If NJ racing were a broadway play, it would be the Producers. :bang: rather than having us read the entire Bill, can you please point us to the area where you got the above intent from?
I started scrolling thru the Bill's text. I was looking for provisions you described above. After about half way, my eyes began to glaze over. Help us(me ) out here, will ya?

[trigger]

Yeah the Aramark food is pretty bad. The only thing they have managed to not screw up is the clam chowder. Still the best Manhattan clam I've had. I can't believe they only sell it upstairs and in the restaurants.

Manhattan clam chowder... Is that that icky red stuff? :eek:

[njcurveball]

rather than having us read the entire Bill, can you please point us to the area where you got the above intent from?
I started scrolling thru the Bill's text. I was looking for provisions you described above. After about half way, my eyes began to glaze over. Help us(me ) out here, will ya?


OK, try Page 1 a little ways down.

[onefast99]

The casinos are on notice they will have to live with the Meadowlands becoming a racino sometime after Mr Corzine exits the Govs office. The Pegasus is set up to be a very nice casino and mark my words it will happen! Until then a few more OTW centers would be nice, route 22 in Union would be a logical place.

[wonatthewire1]

there was to be one near me (about 20 minutes) in Dover, NJ in a former supermarket.

I don't know where that was in that town, but it would be about 5 minutes south from Rockaway Mall and Route 80. And Dover has a train station on the Morristown line. Parsippany along Route 46 would make sense too.

Union would make sense - I haven't been over there in a long time (grew up in Bridgewater) but I remember it being a traffic nightmare. Somerville and Flemington would be logical towns too with the ability to set up near a highway.

The border ones in VA are decent (I think Gary has been to the one/s along the TN/VA border). I've checked out the one north of Raleigh when we were looking at that area to relocate to. It was in the middle of nowhere - not even an one-traffic light town but was run by Colonial Downs - very clean and well run. There were buses that ran from Raleigh to the OTB - no betting or gambling on racing in NC got to get to FL to find the next track.

[thespaah]

there was to be one near me (about 20 minutes) in Dover, NJ in a former supermarket.

I don't know where that was in that town, but it would be about 5 minutes south from Rockaway Mall and Route 80. And Dover has a train station on the Morristown line. Parsippany along Route 46 would make sense too.

Union would make sense - I haven't been over there in a long time (grew up in Bridgewater) but I remember it being a traffic nightmare. Somerville and Flemington would be logical towns too with the ability to set up near a highway.

The border ones in VA are decent (I think Gary has been to the one/s along the TN/VA border). I've checked out the one north of Raleigh when we were looking at that area to relocate to. It was in the middle of nowhere - not even an one-traffic light town but was run by Colonial Downs - very clean and well run. There were buses that ran from Raleigh to the OTB - no betting or gambling on racing in NC got to get to FL to find the next track.
I have been to the OTB in Ridgeway ,VA..Very nice. They have security guards there. Clean place. One side is smoking and the other behind a glass wall is non smoking. each side is about the same size.
No bums allowed to hang out and bug everybody.
I am in NC as well. Near Charlotte. The closest track is Colonial. About 300 miles away. Then the Laurel and then Pimlico..Philly Park is next closest then Tampa..The So. FL tracks are 10 hrs from here.
These types of shops such as the ones in VA will work in NJ. Al the people htere need is to be shown what a real OTW site can be like and they would not be so prone to saying "NIMBY".

[onefast99]

I have been to the OTB in Ridgeway ,VA..Very nice. They have security guards there. Clean place. One side is smoking and the other behind a glass wall is non smoking. each side is about the same size.
No bums allowed to hang out and bug everybody.
I am in NC as well. Near Charlotte. The closest track is Colonial. About 300 miles away. Then the Laurel and then Pimlico..Philly Park is next closest then Tampa..The So. FL tracks are 10 hrs from here.
These types of shops such as the ones in VA will work in NJ. Al the people htere need is to be shown what a real OTW site can be like and they would not be so prone to saying "NIMBY".
The OTW in Woodbridge(Fords ave) is one of the nicest in the country. I have been to the Turf club in Pa many times and it is nice also except for the cigarette smoke. The AC race book at the Borgata is nice also and again the smoke is a problem. NJ will have several others just like Favorites and towns will need to adjust to the increase in traffic as well as the need for additional police to monitor the area, the NJSEA will need to work with the towns and offer additional monies other then the taxes to be paid on the building they end up in. This was the main focus at the Green Brook meetings where the OTW going into the Saturn dealership was to be.

[thespaah]

The OTW in Woodbridge(Fords ave) is one of the nicest in the country. I have been to the Turf club in Pa many times and it is nice also except for the cigarette smoke. The AC race book at the Borgata is nice also and again the smoke is a problem. NJ will have several others just like Favorites and towns will need to adjust to the increase in traffic as well as the need for additional police to monitor the area, the NJSEA will need to work with the towns and offer additional monies other then the taxes to be paid on the building they end up in. This was the main focus at the Green Brook meetings where the OTW going into the Saturn dealership was to be.
I don't understand why the State did not provide for a financial incentives to the town. Why not give them a cut of the action? Say 2% of the gross handle for that particular shop.

[CyberBet]

I have been to the OTB in Ridgeway ,VA..Very nice. They have security guards there. Clean place. One side is smoking and the other behind a glass wall is non smoking. each side is about the same size.
No bums allowed to hang out and bug everybody.
I am in NC as well. Near Charlotte. The closest track is Colonial. About 300 miles away. Then the Laurel and then Pimlico..Philly Park is next closest then Tampa..The So. FL tracks are 10 hrs from here.
These types of shops such as the ones in VA will work in NJ. Al the people htere need is to be shown what a real OTW site can be like and they would not be so prone to saying "NIMBY".

I do believe that the Colonial Downs web site has a virtual tour of its track and all of their OTBs.

[onefast99]

I don't understand why the State did not provide for a financial incentives to the town. Why not give them a cut of the action? Say 2% of the gross handle for that particular shop.
The answer NJSEA gave was "we dont do profit sharing" that pretty much sums it up. I would think they will need to give one of the towns an incentive if they charged a $2 addmission fee that went to the town you would still have plenty of people attending these OTW's.

[phatbastard]

i attend Favorites in Vineland, and it is always clean, and safe.....at times i think they could do more to grow their business [contests, etc]..all in all its a good thing

[onefast99]

i attend Favorites in Vineland, and it is always clean, and safe.....at times i think they could do more to grow their business [contests, etc]..all in all its a good thing
They will have contests soon.

[alhattab]

I don't understand why the State did not provide for a financial incentives to the town. Why not give them a cut of the action? Say 2% of the gross handle for that particular shop.

The thinking that the town or state should get a cut of the handle or other revenue is exactly the kind of thinking (government in on the "action") that hampers our sport's ability to grow. Does the town get a cut of the "action" from malls, funeral homes or other venues that require a police presence sometimes? I don't think that they do. These entities pay property taxes like all other businesses, and pay income taxes to the state.