NY Daily News Editorial- CLOSE AQUEDUCT

[Moyers Pond]

Looks like the editorials are starting to come and it is just a matter of time before Aqueduct is gone and Belmont is turned into a racino.

"The downstate area clearly can't support two Thoroughbred tracks, anyway. Close Aqueduct as a waste of space and put its highly valuable real estate to better use."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/03/10/2010-03-10_dave_ducks_lamely.html#ixzz0htWxrRKy

[johnhannibalsmith]

Yes, if it was written as an editorial in the Daily News, it is just a matter of time... :rolleyes:

[tzipi]

If they turn my Belmont Park into a glitzy casino crap "racino", I am DONE with going to the track(I go almost everyday to Belmont) and will in a way be done with betting the horses except for maybe big races.

So sick of the damn laziness. I will be laughing when 80% of the casinos in a few years start lobbying to get rid of the failing horse part and expand their moneymaking casinos. They never did and never will care about the horse racing part. Why would they care? Even the horse buisness gave up on it.

[Linny]

It's not like the tracks are competing against each other so what's the difference. If AQU were gone, they would need to build more stabling at Belmont because AQU is usually close to full even during the Belmont meetings. They cannot run 5 cards a week at BEL with just horses stabled there.

[Moyers Pond]

It's not like the tracks are competing against each other so what's the difference. If AQU were gone, they would need to build more stabling at Belmont because AQU is usually close to full even during the Belmont meetings. They cannot run 5 cards a week at BEL with just horses stabled there.

Of course. There is ZERO reason to have two racetracks essentially right next to each other. It is just corruption and incompetence. And everyone wonders why NYRA is always broke and filing for bankruptcy.

[Johnny V]

Aqueduct is one of the few tracks I seem to consistently do better at at. It was also the first track I ever attended way back in the sixties. I would just hate to see it go.

[hibiscus]

Of course. There is ZERO reason to have two racetracks essentially right next to each other. It is just corruption and incompetence. And everyone wonders why NYRA is always broke and filing for bankruptcy.

Can you help us all out and explain how having two racetracks near each other equates into corruption and incompetence?

[Tom]

We really do not need two.
It is stupid to have two in the same city.
Really moronic, actually.
Really need to close on down and be done with it.

We have the POST, so buh-bye Daily News!

:rolleyes:

[Linny]

Tom, I get your point but the News and Post are separate and competing entities. BEL and AQU are not rivals.

Stabling is a concern. In June there are still about 500 horses at AQU and racing at Belmont. There are about 300-500 more in Saratoga, but many of them are babies and layoffs on the return trail. If AQU is gone where do those horses go? Many might say, Saratoga! Problem is that stalls at the Spa are NOT FREE other than during the racing season. During the winter mee, both BEL and AQU are nearly full to support 5 day a week racing. If AQU becomes runway space where do those horses live?

[1st time lasix]

A is a dump. The winter racing in terrible weather on the inner is truly depressing anyway. I would not lose one minute of sleep if it were to go. Belmont and Saratoga {Finger lakes} is enough. I feel the same way about Calder in the middle of August...... 100 degree heat index and daily tropical downpours. Ridiculous!

[Igeteven]

A is a dump. The winter racing in terrible weather on the inner is truly depressing anyway. I would not lose one minute of sleep if it were to go. Belmont and Saratoga {Finger lakes} is enough. I feel the same way about Calder in the middle of August...... 100 degree heat index and daily tropical downpours. Ridiculous!

I take your word for it, Now why on hell is the NYRA keeping it open, does it make a profit, what is the real reason. Does anyone know?

[joanied]

If deciding on whether or not to close Aqueduct takes as long as it is for getting that casino opened...it'll still be there 10 years from now :faint:
When I was rubbing horses at Belmont, I hated going over to the Big A to run a horse...and I never really enjoyed my times there at the races...even back then, mostly the 70's, it was a dumpy place...concrete and stell and no ambiance at all...just a place to place wagers, IMO.
So, bottom line, if they shut it down, it won't bother me.

If they shut it down, would it matter to the folks that frequent it...would they be willing to travel that extra distance to go to Belmont instead? Especially in a car...that trip home probably would take an extra hour in traffic.

They would have to provide stall space at Belmont for the horses that usually stable at Big A...does NYRA have the moniey to build more bars at Belmont? Unless the belmont grounds have changed a lot since I was there, I beleive they'd have the room to build more barns...
I think the Big A's winter meet would be fine moving to Belmont...maybe better...at least the grandstand is so much more 'user friendly', than Big A's...IMO, it would work very well hosting the winter meet.

As far as a casino at Belmont...if they did that, they better be careful with where they decide to put it...it would be a horrendous tradgedy is they did away with the 'picnic' areas behind the grandstand...that would be the wrost thing to do...the areas behind the Grandstand are one big reason folks love it there...eat, drink & be merry sort of a place...relaxing and great for families...

but, like I said...they'll be talking about this for years:bang:

[DJofSD]

Can you help us all out and explain how having two racetracks near each other equates into corruption and incompetence?
Ya, I was wondering the same thing myself.

I guess history and what was business as usual in years gone by are corrupt and/or incompetent. Starbucks on every corner? Some one is on the take, is that it?

[46zilzal]

a big chunk of history would disappear, but then there are very few, any longer, who revere where the game came from so no big surprise.

[DJofSD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

[affirmedny]

I take your word for it, Now why on hell is the NYRA keeping it open, does it make a profit, what is the real reason. Does anyone know?

The HORSEMEN don't want it to close. Even in winter they run for more money than almost everywhere else. Where are the horsemen going to make up for the millions in purses they're running for if they discontinue the winter meet?

[thespaah]

We really do not need two.
It is stupid to have two in the same city.
Really moronic, actually.
Really need to close on down and be done with it.

We have the POST, so buh-bye Daily News!

:rolleyes:Belmont's grandstand would have to be renovated and fitted for indoor climate control.
Aqueduct has such a system in place.
Belmont's plant was designed for NYC's Spring and Fall temps.

[joanied]

The HORSEMEN don't want it to close. Even in winter they run for more money than almost everywhere else. Where are the horsemen going to make up for the millions in purses they're running for if they discontinue the winter meet?

I can't see why the Winter meet can't be held at Belmont...surely the horsemen would have no objection to that...and the purse monies would surely still be there...just at Belmont instead.
Fitting the grandstand for winter might be so costly they can't do it...they'd also have to do something to Belmont's surface, I suppose.

The more I think about it, the more I beleive the Big A isn't going anywhere...at least not anytime soon...
but, like I mentioned in another post in this thread...if it takes as long as it has for VLT's/casino to open at Aqueduct...it'll never get done.

[tzipi]

I can't see why the Winter meet can't be held at Belmont...surely the horsemen would have no objection to that...and the purse monies would surely still be there...just at Belmont instead.
Fitting the grandstand for winter might be so costly they can't do it...they'd also have to do something to Belmont's surface, I suppose.

The more I think about it, the more I beleive the Big A isn't going anywhere...at least not anytime soon...
but, like I mentioned in another post in this thread...if it takes as long as it has for VLT's/casino to open at Aqueduct...it'll never get done.

Yeah I wonder if Belmont would wear on me if I went there 11 months out of the a year. I love going Apr/May thru Sept/Oct. Also I agree it would be very costly to winterize that whole place. That's a big grandstand and track to upgrade. I can barely take it there in October. It's so cold in there.

[thespaah]

I can't see why the Winter meet can't be held at Belmont...surely the horsemen would have no objection to that...and the purse monies would surely still be there...just at Belmont instead.
Fitting the grandstand for winter might be so costly they can't do it...they'd also have to do something to Belmont's surface, I suppose.

The more I think about it, the more I beleive the Big A isn't going anywhere...at least not anytime soon...
but, like I mentioned in another post in this thread...if it takes as long as it has for VLT's/casino to open at Aqueduct...it'll never get done.
ONce again, Belmont's physical plant is not climate controlled. However I think the Clubhouse may be.

As long as greedy politicians up in Albany are in charge of the Aqueduct racino project, you are correct, nothing will get done without a general house cleaning of the State legislature.
All political patronage, nepotism and underhanded backroom deals have to end. The huge salaries have to be slashed.

[tzipi]

ONce again, Belmont's physical plant is not climate controlled. However I think the Clubhouse may be.

The first,second and third floors of the clubhouse are cold in the early winter. The Belmont Cafe is climate controlled on first floor and the 4th floor is.