If you are attending the Preakness... - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

TheGarMan · 05-10-2019, 11:27 AM

Alas, I must start my Stronach bashing a week earlier this year..

(Who can forget last years recap, available here

)

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/s...d.php?t=145007

But seriously, if you are attending the Preakness, once again Stronach has put it to their customers hard, by this year banning ALL outside food and drink...

That's right, no water, no snacks, no hidden bootleg hooch. NOTHING.

For years in our grandstand seats we could bring pretty much whatever we wanted, as long as it was in a clear 12" x 12" container... Then it was no alcohol, then no drinks, now it is nothing at all.

So, in exchange for the price of my ticket slowly rising from $90 (in 2013) to $135 (in 2019) , I also get to be fleeced by their $10 beers and $9 hot dogs.

How can the quality of experience offered get so stinking low, yet the price continually increase?

Every year I ask. why do we do this again?

Oh, and just to round out my post with a sliver of humor, their website actually says we are allowed to bring our own "empty clear water bottle" into the grandstands if we like. Presumably to drink bathroom or drinking fountain water?

Unreal...

BlueChip@DRF · 05-10-2019, 12:14 PM

That's bad. I wonder what the attendance will be like.

PowerUpPaynter · 05-10-2019, 01:26 PM

Iv been there every year since 2007 on the infield. 2007 and 2008 were great. Every year it goes downhill a little more. The music selections are horrible and the infield gets a little 'cheaper' every year, not the food or beer (although i but the mug club so I can stand in line for 20 mins to get a crudweiser) just the feel of the place... it feels very corner cutting-ish

TheGarMan · 05-10-2019, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerUpPaynter

Iv been there every year since 2007 on the infield. 2007 and 2008 were great. Every year it goes downhill a little more. The music selections are horrible and the infield gets a little 'cheaper' every year, not the food or beer (although i but the mug club so I can stand in line for 20 mins to get a crudweiser) just the feel of the place... it feels very corner cutting-ish

I'm with you Paynter...

I remember seeing some really good bands just a few years back...

Now it is all Dj / Electronica stuff.

They are pretty much catering to the 22 year old frat crowd.

Yet, we sign on for another year

PowerUpPaynter · 05-10-2019, 03:36 PM

Where does everyone hang out friday night? Power Plant live is always a cool spot.

Tom · 05-10-2019, 04:54 PM

Amazing what greedy, GFN bastards the Stronachs are.
Aside from paying through the nose for food and drink, they will undoubtedly be under-staffed and create long lines just to further inconvenience their, uh, their, oh, what do you call them?

Oh, customers!

If everyone pees on the infield at some point during the day, see if you can flood them out!

Racing - insulting customers for decades!

Clocker · 05-10-2019, 05:16 PM

As a grumpy old man (from birth), I can't imagine going to a Triple Crown race. I would not go to any race track or OTB on those days. That's why God created TV and ADWs.

PhantomOnTour · 05-10-2019, 05:21 PM

Y'all ever been to, uhhhhh I don't know, a rock concert? A ball game? A movie?
Tell me, at which of these places is it okay to bring your own food and bev, esp alcohol?
You folks will literally bitch about anything.

PowerUpPaynter · 05-10-2019, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

Y'all ever been to, uhhhhh I don't know, a rock concert? A ball game? A movie?
Tell me, at which of these places is it okay to bring your own food and bev, esp alcohol?
You folks will literally bitch about anything.

dont effect me i dont bring shiit except for a 10 dollar home depot chair i just leave there on the infield because im usually too drunk to be bothered to carry it out but the NFL allows you to bring in your own food.

my biggest gripe is the people on the nfl working the machines dont know how to use them. I usually have to show them what to press if im making anything other than a win bet.

TheGarMan · 05-10-2019, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

Y'all ever been to, uhhhhh I don't know, a rock concert? A ball game? A movie?
Tell me, at which of these places is it okay to bring your own food and bev, esp alcohol?
You folks will literally bitch about anything.

I certainly get your point...

Our frustration comes from from the slow (yet methodical) erosion of even the the tiny perks we were used to having as renewing ticket holders for many years...

I guess you had to see it 8-10 years ago to understand what a nice experience it was , versus what they have taken away, all while increasing the costs.

And, they demand our yearly renewal in January, and change the rules only when they release the tickets in March. It's like a "box of chocolates" you never really know what that are changing from year to year.

I don't bitch about much in life, but this has become a pretty legit situation.

If I have one wish, is that it please does not rain this year. The water literally drips in from the roof, and runs into our seating area.

PhantomOnTour · 05-10-2019, 09:44 PM

I've been going to the Preakness since 1999 or 2000; can't remember. My first one was Red Bullet.
I know very well the problems of Pimlico...the rules banning food and bev rank about #85 on the list of things they need to fix. Hardly worth whining about. The crappy TVs, idiot tellers, leaky roofs, and now a condemned grandstand (where I've sat for 20yrs) are real issues. We will now be on the track apron somewhere around the 1/8 pole, praying it doesn't rain AGAIN.
Those are things that need to be addressed

TheGarMan · 05-10-2019, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

I've been going to the Preakness since 1999 or 2000; can't remember. My first one was Red Bullet.
I know very well the problems of Pimlico...the rules banning food and bev rank about #85 on the list of things they need to fix. Hardly worth whining about. The crappy TVs, idiot tellers, leaky roofs, and now a condemned grandstand (where I've sat for 20yrs) are real issues. We will now be on the track apron somewhere around the 1/8 pole, praying it doesn't rain AGAIN.
Those are things that need to be addressed

For sure!

Sounds like we share some of the same concerns.

One year we had water everywhere... (Except in the bathrooms!)

Yea, that empty grandstand is going to look really bad on national TV.

Glad they found a good spot for you, and lets pray for sunshine!

Good luck!

Tom · 05-11-2019, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

Y'all ever been to, uhhhhh I don't know, a rock concert? A ball game? A movie?
Tell me, at which of these places is it okay to bring your own food and bev, esp alcohol?
You folks will literally bitch about anything.

Tracks are marketing themselves as family affairs - ever hear of Saratoga? Imagine how many would show up if you could not bring your own food and drinks. Track, unlike the indoor places, have a picnic setting. Theaters do not.

Pass the mustard.

PhantomOnTour · 05-11-2019, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

Tracks are marketing themselves as family affairs - ever hear of Saratoga? Imagine how many would show up if you could not bring your own food and drinks. Track, unlike the indoor places, have a picnic setting. Theaters do not.

Pass the mustard.

The Preakness is a one day festival where as Saratoga is a 40 day festival; hardly an equal comparison.
The entire fate of the Maryland racing season relies on basically one day's revenue, and you better believe they're gonna get all they can.
This is a capitalist society after all....they're in business to make money.

Hold the salt, Tom

Afleet · 05-11-2019, 05:20 PM

I heard Stronach lowered the price of the condemned seats 10%😀