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Originally Posted by westernmassbob
With gas prices averaging about 2.00 more per gallon then in 2021 I wonder if this will be a challenge to get those day trippers coming back to the track ?
I ask this because of a conversation I overheard at a local OTB between some older fellows about going to Saratoga this year. They pretty much were in agreement that unless gas prices went down they weren’t going to make the trek this year.
Anyway I love Saratoga so I will be there but maybe NYRA can come up with some type of gas gift card giveaway. It would make a great promotion for a weekday as I suspect those would be the days attendance could drop off because of the gas prices. It seems a company like “ Stewart’s” might be a good business to work with on this one. Just an idea.
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Oil was a topic in the 70s- not so much due to pricing but due to availability. The NY Times ran a piece in January 1974 with the headline "Saratoga Shutdown Is ‘Inconceivable,’ Governor Assures Racing Interests". The piece said, in part "...rumors of possible shutdown had continued. State law provides that upstate action can be transferred to a downstate track in time of emergency, and there was talk of a switch this year because of the energy crisis. Upstate Republicans, whose party controls both houses of the Legislature, have never found that kind of talk acceptable. Governor Wilson issued his position paper to “correct any misconception” that might have developed."
I saw a few other interesting pieces. One was a letter or Op-Ed written in February 1979 with the headline "Saratoga Is Forever, No Matter What the Racing Board Says"- apparently the NYSRWB felt August in Saratoga had a detrimental effect on revenues because downstate players migrated to The Meadowlands (3 years old at the time) with their wagering dollars. TLG maybe you recall this but not sure if you were in Saratoga at this time.
Another one talked about how Saratoga was going to bid on the Hambletonian, to be run at the racecourse, not the harness track, because the Hambletonian Society required the race to be run on a one mile oval (before the Hambo was at The Meadowlands, it was run at DuQuoin at I believe the Illinois State Fair.
And finally there was a travel column written with restaurant recommendations in 1979, and no mention of Mother Goldsmith's or The Country Gentleman (Hatties, and Mrs. London's- of those that remain- where)
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