My letter to Mayor, City Council, Planning Board: Good morning, I was at both the recent city council and planning board meetings for the Racino’s expansion presentation and have heard the horsemen are excited by expansion plans for the RACINO and support it. I have also seen quotes from Rita Cox stating the same. And then, I was perusing face book this morning and came across the following article on The Daily Gazette: dailygazette/news/2014/may/18/horsemen-fear-new-casinos-might-doom-harness-racew/?free There’s no way of knowing how the state-licensed casinos will impact harness racing, but the general consensus is that outcome won’t be good. If the casinos start pulling money away from the operation in Saratoga Springs, some fear the racino operators will look to trim costs in whatever way they can — namely at the track that costs them millions of dollars in upkeep each year. “I don’t think their hearts are into it,” he said of the operators. “They know the money is made from the slots.” “I think everyone is worried right now,” trainer Frank Salin said, “but I don’t think they have any comprehension of what they stand to lose.” It occurred to me there have been no public meetings with those horsemen to actually hear what they have to say, independent of the gaming folks. I think it would behoove us (the mayor, city council, planning board, and the public) to meet with them before the 30 day comment period passes to get their direct input on the expansion. I, for one, am very interested in what they have to say. As I have written previously, I still have had no response to my questions on what has been done; what is now being done, and what will be done to promote and protect the horsemen! Perhaps you will have better luck getting some answers! Respectfully, Kim Fonda
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 14:05:15 +0000
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