Aqueduct grandstand now closed.

[onefast99]

Originally Posted by miesque

No, have not been there since its completion, Penn is my primary track in PA. However, I have heard so many complaints regarding how horseplayers and fans were treated who wanted to watch the races during the entire process, nothing positive whatsoever until I read your comment that you thought they did it the right way.

As a player and an owner PP is still one of the friendliest tracks around. I have never had a bad experience at PP with the facility itself. The food is decent, the horsemans book Lisa is one of the best in the biz and the purses are pretty decent. I was there Saturday and they had a nice BC crowd the service on the racing floor was excellent.

[Moyers Pond]

Aqueduct will be gone in 10 years from now. Belmont will have the turf/poly/dirt course and a casino.

Aqueduct will be sold. The land is too valuable to be used for horse racing and the state knows it.

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by Moyers Pond

Aqueduct will be gone in 10 years from now. Belmont will have the turf/poly/dirt course and a casino.

Aqueduct will be sold. The land is too valuable to be used for horse racing and the state knows it.

Then they better install glass at Belmont, because it will get mighty cold sitting in the face of the north winds. The later races will be coming into the stretch into a deep shadow as well. The stands face the wrong way for winter racing.

[miesque]

Speaking of Aqueduct, it would be helpful if they updated their General Information page from last Spring. I just went to that page of the website to find out when racing ended for the holiday break since I might have to head up to Manhattan for a meeting next month and instead found the following, which is definitely last year's info:

AQUEDUCT 2009 WINTER/SPRING MEET

82 days, January 1-April 26
Dark Mondays and Tuesday, except:
Open: Mondays, January 19 and February 16
Dark: Wednesdays, January 21 and February 18; Sundays, April 5 and April 12.
Post times: 12:30 p.m. daily (January 1 – March 8)
1 p.m. daily (March 11 – April 26)


http://nyra.com/Aqueduct/GeneralInfo...ormation.shtml

[Moyers Pond]

Originally Posted by wisconsin

Then they better install glass at Belmont, because it will get mighty cold sitting in the face of the north winds. The later races will be coming into the stretch into a deep shadow as well. The stands face the wrong way for winter racing.

I believe they will be moving the grandstand to the other side. They said they could do it all in 1-2 years, so knowing NY you can expect a Belmont Stakes to be run at Aqueduct while they completely fix up Belmont.

Aqueduct is essentially gone though. The land is too valuable to be used for horse racing.

[tzipi]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Maybe they're readying for construction to start up on the long promised slot parlour?

That would be my guess.

No signs Tzipi? No signs explaining what is going on?

No,there's no construction whatsoever in the lower grandstand at all. Upstairs they gutted it out years ago,but it has looked the same for 5 years now. No ones done a thing since up there.
I just have NO IDEA why they would close off the grandstand to their public. Hey,bet our horses but we will not let you watch from the grandstand. Ridiculous.

Funny thing is the Barber shop is still open and you have to either jump the fences or walk through the employees only tunnel to get to it.

[jballscalls]

we closed our grandstand at PM a few years ago, and get one or two complaints a year about it. But honestly, there just isn't the demand, need or money to keep it open.

but since doing that we also did a couple million dollar remodel downstairs and in the turf club and everyone seems happy.

[tzipi]

Originally Posted by jballscalls

we closed our grandstand at PM a few years ago, and get one or two complaints a year about it. But honestly, there just isn't the demand, need or money to keep it open.

but since doing that we also did a couple million dollar remodel downstairs and in the turf club and everyone seems happy.

Yeah but in that part of Aqueduct it's just self service machines. They are not wasting money by letting a small walkaway open to the grandstand stretch. I do not get where there's no "need" to let bettors watch the races down the stretch?
I hope during these times the tracks are not telling me now,"hey there's no need for us to let you watch the horses run out on the track grandstand" I thought that was the fun of horseracing. To see them coming down the stretch. If there's no need,than screw the track. Ill go to OTB to watch tv races.

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by jballscalls

we closed our grandstand at PM a few years ago, and get one or two complaints a year about it. But honestly, there just isn't the demand, need or money to keep it open.

but since doing that we also did a couple million dollar remodel downstairs and in the turf club and everyone seems happy.

Not that it will affect the bottom line of Portland Meadows, but as a track collecter, this one will move to a low spot on my ist of tracks yet to visit. Who wants to go to a track where you can't watch the race properly?

You might only get one or two complaints a year, but I assure that there is grumbling within the track itself.

"Hey Frank, where are you going?"

"To the track."

"Really, how is it? Must be exciting sitting in the stands when they turn for home."

"Hard to say, I just sit down below and watch 'em run on the tv monitors."

[samyn on the green]

Are you guys sure that the grandstand is closed at Aqueduct? There wwere some dedicated players that made their home there. I don't believe it. The grandstand at Aqueduct is my pure power perch. This was the one spot where I could dwell and oversea the paddock like a hawk looking for prey. From the same spot I could watch the races through the binoculars and log any bad trips. As long as you dressed warm the grandstand at Aqueduct was the best spot in all of New York racing.

[jballscalls]

Originally Posted by wisconsin

Not that it will affect the bottom line of Portland Meadows, but as a track collecter, this one will move to a low spot on my ist of tracks yet to visit. Who wants to go to a track where you can't watch the race properly?

You might only get one or two complaints a year, but I assure that there is grumbling within the track itself.

"Hey Frank, where are you going?"

"To the track."

"Really, how is it? Must be exciting sitting in the stands when they turn for home."

"Hard to say, I just sit down below and watch 'em run on the tv monitors."

Oh i completely understand and that is the one complaint we do get from those one or two people who do complain about it. In our case though, you can go up to the turf club and watch the race from the 3rd floor which is glass encased just like the grandstand.

I mean i'm a rail bird, if i go to the races i watch at the rail, but i know many people like to go up in the grandstand or turf club at a track. \

And any members of PA are always welcome to come up and watch a race from the announcer's booth.

[titans1127]

Originally Posted by miesque

Speaking of Aqueduct, it would be helpful if they updated their General Information page from last Spring. I just went to that page of the website to find out when racing ended for the holiday break since I might have to head up to Manhattan for a meeting next month and instead found the following, which is definitely last year's info:

AQUEDUCT 2009 WINTER/SPRING MEET

82 days, January 1-April 26
Dark Mondays and Tuesday, except:
Open: Mondays, January 19 and February 16
Dark: Wednesdays, January 21 and February 18; Sundays, April 5 and April 12.
Post times: 12:30 p.m. daily (January 1 – March 8)
1 p.m. daily (March 11 – April 26)


http://nyra.com/Aqueduct/GeneralInfo...ormation.shtml

In case your still wondering Aqueduct will be taking its holiday break from Monday December 14th thru Friday December 25th. Racing is back on Saturday the 26th.

[miesque]

Originally Posted by titans1127

In case your still wondering Aqueduct will be taking its holiday break from Monday December 14th thru Friday December 25th. Racing is back on Saturday the 26th.

Thank you very much.

[tzipi]

Originally Posted by samyn on the green

Are you guys sure that the grandstand is closed at Aqueduct? There wwere some dedicated players that made their home there. I don't believe it. The grandstand at Aqueduct is my pure power perch. This was the one spot where I could dwell and oversea the paddock like a hawk looking for prey. From the same spot I could watch the races through the binoculars and log any bad trips. As long as you dressed warm the grandstand at Aqueduct was the best spot in all of New York racing.

Everyday I've been there now for last two weeks the grandstand is fenced off and chained. So you can not get outside either. Even if you jump the fence their stairs leading up to the grandstand seats is fenced off too. Will hope it's not today but that's just wishful thinking.

[rrbauer]

Let's do an over/under for slots at the big A.

I say July 1, 2013