NYCOTB to Close Down April 11

[hibiscus]

Originally Posted by Rutgers

For what's it's worth, I think initially the total handle on NYRA races may drop but the revenue to NYRA will probably increase.

NYCOTB closing is not going to stop the larger regular players from playing the races, they will probably switch over to a NYRA account or go to Belmont or Aqueduct. (of course some will also switch to one of the other regional OTB's) But, for the players that do switch to NYRA, NYRA will actually get a bigger share of the handle. The bigger share may make-up for the lost handle.

You are 100% correct. Losing NYC OTB will be addition by subtraction for New York racing.

[garyoz]

Originally Posted by Igeteven

http://www.bloodhorse.com/


I feel sorry for the employees and their family's, The State of New York must do something to protect these people

If anyone out there knows where we can e mail, please post.


IMO, this is despicable what is going on. We are talking about 1300 workers


Any comments.

You've probably never dealt with NYCOTB tellers or customer service. Political hacks run OTB and employees don't even know the degennies hanging out in front of the bullet proof glass are customers. I dealt with them for 20 years. I predict a last minute deal "to save the jobs" ultimately at the expense of the horseplayer. You can put self-service kiosks at secure locations around the city and save all the overhead.

Ah, back in the day of the smoke-filled parlor with the audio-only calls (if you were lucky) with the players on their lunch hour drinking tall boys out of paper bags....

[framarco]

Once upon a time, there were no calls and all you heard was the OTB announcer list the top three by "Letter", to wit, the winner of the third at Roosevelt was letter "A", place was letter "G", and letter "D" for show. The only call that we could hear was every 1/2 hour on CBS-AM where you heard Dave Johnson's or Jack E. Lee's stretch call. It was really fun when Dave would announce that the photo was "too close to call".

However, OTB is a vicious parasite which was a historical mistake when it was created and has only sucked billions of dollars from NYC horseplayers-through the completely draconian "5%" surcharge, and from the NY horsemen, by failing to adequately compensate the people who put on the show. Let OTB die its miserable death. As for the employees, it is unfortunate that they will pay the price for the politicians' hubris, but they will at least get a final say on our corrupt and incompetent legislature this November.

Finally, let us all pray that our deaf, dumb and blind accidental governor, does his best imitation of a broken clock and just be right twice one day this week. Please let him sign OTB's death warrant and then sign-off on one of the remaining bidders for the Big A slots casino. He can then ride off into the sunset with his predecessor, i.e., Client 9, who through his stupidity while getting his jollies off with hookers, bequeathed us with this moron of a governor.

[Zman179]

NYCOTB should just go away. It is a bloodsucking parasite that attracts the dregs of humanity. Goodbye.

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by Igeteven

http://www.bloodhorse.com/


I feel sorry for the employees and their family's, The State of New York must do something to protect these people

If anyone out there knows where we can e mail, please post.


IMO, this is despicable what is going on. We are talking about 1300 workers


Any comments.

i don't feel one bit sorry for these employees and families. Maybe now the horseplayers won't have to support hundreds of Hazel Dukes friends who are still working there.

[WeirdWilly]

Originally Posted by Igeteven

http://www.bloodhorse.com/


I feel sorry for the employees and their family's, The State of New York must do something to protect these people

If anyone out there knows where we can e mail, please post.


IMO, this is despicable what is going on. We are talking about 1300 workers


Any comments.

INDIVIDUALS have the primary obligation to protect themselve. The State's job should be to protect "The Public", not individuals. Otherwise, you get into the position where "The State" has to favor some people over others. THAT is not fair, it's divisive and contrary to their real mission of protecting the public at large.

New rule: Liberals who favor expanded government are forbidden from uttering the holy name "Orwell" or complaining about "Big Brother" or "Police States". If you wish it on others, you get it for yourself!

[WinterTriangle]

Originally Posted by thespaah

It seems no one in NYC or Albany wants to talk about where all that money flowing through the betting shops is going.

Sounds suspiciously similar to my lifetime of working in corporate america, sometimes in publically-traded companies. Except everyone knew where the $$ was going.


There's nothing like getting laid off a week before christmas, after having watched your company booted off the nasdaq for falling to a penny stock. As you stand in the unemployment line, recalling CEOs cashing in their milllion shares over time, back when the "gettin was good", which they got for "signing up". If only you knew where things were going, like they did, you would not have fallen for their cheerleader meetings about investing in shares with a paycheck deduction.

A year later, they're all in another company, ready to rock-n-roll all over again.

So, IGETEVEN, don't worry about the NY workers.....it's much worse to be lied to, robbed, AND laid off, and watch the people who did it walk away millionaires.

At least when they kill off OTB, it's dead and gone. These other guys keep rising from the dead to continue their pillaging.

[Igeteven]

I want to tell you all, I live in California, I just hate to see 1300 people lose their jobs, this has a major impact on them and their family's

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by Igeteven

I want to tell you all, I live in California, I just hate to see 1300 people lose their jobs, this has a major impact on them and their family's

A lot of those jobs were gotten thru nepotism and political connections, one of the most evil parts of our society is people getting jobs because they know someone and not because they're the best man or woman for the job. Good riddance OTB, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[pandy]

First of all, I will be SHOCKED if it actually shuts down. But if it does, it will be a good thing for racing in NY, although unfortunate for the employees.

[hibiscus]

Originally Posted by pandy

First of all, I will be SHOCKED if it actually shuts down. But if it does, it will be a good thing for racing in NY, although unfortunate for the employees.

These employees are all individuals that work for an organization that creates nothing, produces nothing, and contributes nothing. While I’m sure most are good, honest, hard working people, that in and of itself is not a reason to keep them employed at the expense and to the detriment of what is ultimately the New York racing industry. While they will feel some pain in being unemployed the hope is that they will ultimately find employment working in a more constructive capacity. Those other employees that were politically appointed are sure to quickly land another overpaid no-show job through the same buddies in Albany that landed them their positions at OTB.

[pandy]

No only do they hurt NYRA but don't forget the taxpayers, who pay for the salaries for OTB. They get nothing in return since OTB shows a loss. The whole thing is a joke.

[hibiscus]

Originally Posted by pandy

No only do they hurt NYRA but don't forget the taxpayers, who pay for the salaries for OTB. They get nothing in return since OTB shows a loss. The whole thing is a joke.

I’m not so sure it’s the taxpayers that pay the salaries. OTB shows a loss but that loss is manifested in large payables to NYRA, the New York owners and breeders and other creditors. New York state has in fact voted to NOT use state money to bail out OTB. So if all remains on the current course the creditors will ultimately get stiffed. When NYRA gets stiffed the only thing they can do is cut purses and lower other expenses such as facility maintenance, payroll, etc. So in the end it’s the horsemen, like me, that are paying for the salaries of the OTB employees.



Longer term, however, owners will ship their horses to neighboring states with a more functional racing industry and casino subsidized purses. New York racing will slowly erode into insignificance no different than what has happened in Maryland. Breeders, trainers, stable hands, track employees will all lose their jobs. Businesses in the geographic areas around racetracks will also suffer. The result of that will be less employed people paying income tax to the state and less employed people buying goods and services in the state. So, in the end, long term, the state of New York suffers as a whole.



The blame falls solely at the feet of the politicians. It’s not a Democrat or Republican thing. It’s just one small example of an entire political system gone amok. We can hold rallies and protests and post blogs but, in the end, the best way to send a clear message to Albany is to speak the language that all politicians speak. That’s with votes. Vote them all out of office. Doesn’t matter what party you happen to favor. Just vote against all incumbents. Keep doing that until someone gets the message. These days, after seeing what I’ve seen with the Aqueduct VLT embarrassment, I’d rather dance with the devil that I don’t know than the one that I know.

[pandy]

Between the casino thing, NYOTB, it's truly a disgrace and as you said, it's the fault of the politicians.

[toetoe]

Originally Posted by Igeteven

http://www.bloodhorse.com/


I feel sorry for the employees and their family's, The State of New York must do something to protect these people

If anyone out there knows where we can e mail, please post.


IMO, this is despicable what is going on. We are talking about 1300 workers


Any comments.

Yes, your compassion is refreshing. However, wasn't this whole thing born spotted, and didn't it go downhill from there ? Maybe the timing is bad, economy-wise, but isn't it a good thing, considering what a clusterschtup (as Dennis Miller might say) the whole thing was ?

Again, your compassion is duly noted, and maybe unemployment insurance will soften the blow. .