In a pointed editorial piece, Harness Tracks of America Executive Vice President Stan Bergstein has stated that he cannot fathom how the looming crisis facing the New Jersey horse racing industry has produced virtually no response from interested parties in the harness racing world
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In the piece on gamingtoday.com, Bergstein voices his gives his opinion on the Meadowlands/Atlantic City political tug of war, which came to a head last week with the announcement of Gov. Chris Christie's support for the recommendations put forth by the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission.
The committee recommended that the Meadowlands Racetrack, widely considered as 'the Mecca' of harness racing, be sold off or simply shut down.
The move would not just be a huge blow to the racing industry in New Jersey, as the ripple effects would be felt by virtually every mid to major racing jurisdiction in North America.
"An even bigger mystery is how all of harness racing nationally has not unified to develop a groundswell of opposition to the state’s ideas," Bergstein wrote. "A gaming summit will meet on August 6, but the site and the leaders tell that farcical story. The meeting will be held in Atlantic City, and the co-chairman is state senator Jim Whelan, a former mayor of the shore resort."
To read the item in its entirety, click here.
(With files from gamingtoday.com)
The reason there is no
The reason there is no counterpunch or unified response from all harness tracks is that the last thing in the world that tracks like Chester and Yonkers want is for The Meadowlands to get slots and tap into their gaming revenues. Moreover, having the Meadowlands out of the way would be a huge boom to their business in the long run. The management at these tracks growth prospects is centered on increasing their slot revenues, as harness racing is completely secondary business to their bottom lines. Ultimately, eliminating a potential competitor like the Meadowlands to their slot revenues is a godsend to tracks Yonkers and Chester.
Five years from now Harness racing in the North East United States will be run to empty grand stands from Yonkers, Chester and Pocono Downs continuing to charge customers ridiculous 25 per cent plus takeouts with their sole focus will be on growing their slot franchises and getting more table casino games like blackjack legalized. Harness racing will serve nothing more than a front for that ends of expanding casino revenues. Great business model for the survival of harness racing isn’t it?
bwprice It's a small world,
bwprice
It's a small world, when Elora's gone, Elmira rises, when Quebec's gone, S. Ontario rises. If NJ for political reasons wants you gone, put the horses in the trailers, keep the internet on, get a nicer place nearby ( with better lighting for the simulcast ) go where they welcome you, consider this is a resurrection opportunity.
Private enterprise means for
Private enterprise means for the rest of world outside America, are the breeders and the owners.
In France, all the 300 hippodromes have non lucrative associations.
Since 1891, and law 1901, non commercial operators can organise races and pari mutuel.
The state gives the right to concurrence in the money market with the off track betting, (PMU) close to 15000 sites across France where you can bet your tiercé, your quinté and hundreds of newspapers with professional reporters to inform the fans.
The minister of agriculture controls with politics given to breeders and owners.
I just don't understand why the breeders association cannot, at least, take a lesson and learn about the successes like in France, Sweden, Japan etc..
Look at what happened to my Québec, My ancestors sport, and part of our french culture , NO more horse racing in Quebec.
IGNORANCE, IGNORANCE IGNORANCE.
We in New Brunswick had an
We in New Brunswick had an event happen to us as New Jersey, very similar but different events . The current Liberal government popped out of the blue after getting elected saying they would not sell our NB power decided they would flip on this vote of confidence and sell it to Hydro Quebec.
In a nut shell ,we the people got together, mostly of the older generation, started a facebook site NO to the Sale of NB Power . Through word of mouth, the numbers grew to 31,000 people out of a province that has a population of approximately 750,000 people. We wrote our thoughts and disgust for this deal at first they we all started to learn more about the deal and and went to meetings held by various interest groups and expressed our opinions.We sent emails and called the members of our government daily saying our disgust for this deal and that they were voted in for saying they would not sell our NB Power.WE went door to door ,we went down the corners of busy business districts with signs and plackards. We gave interviews to the press stating our side of the coin .We held protests in front of political Liberal members offices as well as the legislature in Fredericton We had quite respectful rallys with guest speakers and all in all after 6 months the deal collapsed. In part by all our hard work. ------SO YOU CAN DO IT TOO---------- I know you are all in shock right now and after the shock ,then you become more determioned to fight for WHAT IS RIGHT. GOOD LUCK and if you need any further information email me at [email protected] ,i will do my best to help you with suggestions GOD BLESS