|
Laurels first floor grandstand and clubhouse are nice for the player who enjoys betting multiple tracks via simulcast but probably not watching the race live.
The second floor however is antiquated with box seats with no working TV's (this is where I prefer to watch the races). The next phase of the renovations was supposed to be on the second floor. I haven't been to laurel since late april, so I don't know if any progress has been made. There have been major improvements on the backside with 2, soon to be 3 new barns housing 150 horses each, similar to the new barns at gulfstream. The ultimate goal is to have all horses stabled at pimlico move to laurel. I saw somewhere that it cost $250,000 a month to keep pimlico open for training all year.
As far as pimlico goes, Baltimore isn't giving up the Preakness. I think you will see a total tear down and one maybe 2 short keenland like meets with a detention barn only to handle ship in horses only. I'd anticipate the state/city would have to help with costs. Just my 2 cents.
And oh yeh, I prefer watching live races in the pimlico grandstand boxes. They actually got all new flat screen TV's for this past meet that all work!! But much like laurel's second floor...a ghost town.
Nice to get some MD racing talk. Its been steadily improving with lots of turf racing.
|
