CASINOS come to Aqueduct

[BeatTheChalk]

New York might soon host a new type of high-roller.

Kuala Lumpur-based Genting Malaysia Bhd is planning to invest $1.3 billion on a gaming facility at New York City's Aqueduct racetrack, located in Queens. According to Hotels Magazine, the proposed facility, called Resorts World New York, will house three proposed hotels.

Genting currently operates and has ownership stakes in more than 10,000 hotel rooms around the world, including the world's second-largest hotel in Malaysia. According to the story, the video lottery license granted to Genting is the only one within the New York City limits and Genting will pay a licensing fee of $380 million to the state of New York.

The gaming facility will also contain several restaurants, a shopping center, a spa, a recreational area and an outdoor terrace able to accommodate up to 10,000 people.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Hooray !
New York racing deserves a new grandstand that looks like Arlington Park. :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3401278273_1747af6577.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/3401278273/)
Aqueduct railbirds (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/3401278273/) by The_Knight_Sky racing blog (http://www.flickr.com/people/the_knight_sky/), on Flickr

[pandy]

They'll probably close the Grandstand and replace it with a casino, the way Yonkers did. Not that many people go to Aqueduct to bet horses anymore.

[onefast99]

Hooray !
New York racing deserves a new grandstand that looks like Arlington Park. :)




http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3401278273_1747af6577.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/3401278273/)
Aqueduct railbirds (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/3401278273/) by The_Knight_Sky racing blog (http://www.flickr.com/people/the_knight_sky/), on Flickr

http://images-partners-tbn.google.com/images?q=tbn:aNqII7X2EW1FYM::www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2010/07/12/news/photos_stories/aqueduct_rendering--300x300.jpg (http://aolsearcht11.search.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?s_it=imageDetails&q=aqueduct+racetrack+falling+apart&img=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nypost.com%2Frw%2Fnypost%2F20 10%2F07%2F12%2Fnews%2Fphotos_stories%2Faqueduct_re ndering--300x300.jpg&host=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.skyscraperpage.com%2Fshowt hread.php%3Fp%3D4835597&width=116&height=116&thumbUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages-partners-tbn.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AaNqII7X2EW1FYM %3A%3Awww.nypost.com%2Frw%2Fnypost%2F2010%2F07%2F1 2%2Fnews%2Fphotos_stories%2Faqueduct_rendering--300x300.jpg&b=image%3Fq%3Daqueduct%2520racetrack%2520falling%2 520apart%26flv%3D1%26oreq%3Dc13f4870461046b5b84d10 5357bb0a0b&imgHeight=300&imgWidth=300&imgTitle=Swanky+plans+for+Aqueduct&imgSize=87329&hostName=forum.skyscraperpage.com) Here is what may be in store for the Big A.

[The_Knight_Sky]

They'll probably close the Grandstand and replace it with a casino, the way Yonkers did. Not that many people go to Aqueduct to bet horses anymore.


Pandy you're probably right. While there has been much talk about the "construction of a Casino", little details have been divulged about the refurbishing that is needed for the horse racing patrons.

While the Clubhouse side is decent, this is an opportunity for a fresh start to rebuild. I don't think any of us wants to see Aqueduct the racetrack neglected. I hope the metropolitan horse players who battle 26% Take Out rates get some real benefits from this project.

Aqueduct was a special place the first time I visited 20 years ago.
It even hosted a Breeders Cup Day back in 1985. A renovation plan should
include the possibility of having ample seating for such a BC Day in the future.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2637/4110509075_741e7cbc21.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/4110509075/)
Aqueduct racetrack - November 2009 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/4110509075/) by The_Knight_Sky racing blog (http://www.flickr.com/people/the_knight_sky/), on Flickr

[pandy]

Cool photo. I agree, it would be nice...we can dream.

[Zman179]

Pandy you're probably right. While there has been much talk about the "construction of a Casino", little details have been divulged about the refurbishing that is needed for the horse racing patrons.

I saw the secret refurbishment plans for racing fans when the casino is open:

They plan on cleaning all of the birdshit from the grandstand seats.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Truth be told, there are pigeons nesting on the second floor of the grandstand.

They will be displaced, unfortunately.

The real Big A railbirds:
http://i35.tinypic.com/30msidu.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/

[garyoz]

Seagulls not pigeons. I spent 20 years sharing bad pizza with them. I think that we will long for those days. This deal really seems Faustian.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Seagulls not pigeons.




Sure. The image is of the seagulls.

But the residents on the second floor are definitely pigeons.

[garyoz]

Yes-- Seagulls have charm. Pigeons are rats with wings.

[bane]

Does this mean they will actually remove the paint before they repaint it or continue to paint over chipping paint..... that will chip even worse?

[thespaah]

Step one in the right direction. Now let's see how they decide to divvy up the revenue from the VLT's.
My cynical side is the money will be siphoned off to line a pockets of crooked NY politicos who think they are owed something.
Hopefully the cash will be spent to boost purses, reduce takeout and increase field size.

[Charlie D]

Step one in the right direction. Now let's see how they decide to divvy up the revenue from the VLT's.
My cynical side is the money will be siphoned off to line a pockets of crooked NY politicos who think they are owed something.
Hopefully the cash will be spent top boost purses, reduce takeout and increase field size.


Not seen any other track/state passing on any of thier new found income stream onto it's racing customers, so doubt it will happen here either

[badcompany]

I don't see why the casino operators would want to do anything for horseracing. This whole deal is a shotgun marriage. Given their druthers, the casinos would much rather set up a standalone facility as opposed to refurbishing a beat up track.

Also, I'd be surprised if Genting didn't try to renegotiate the deal considering they're the only bidder, and the financial position of the state and NYRA.