Ad Hoc Commitee reccos Excelsior
 

http://www.drf.com/news/article/80659.html

First step in the long process..

Gee there's a shock huh? LOL!!
Did anyone think they wouldn't?

They were a cinch.

Empire couldn't even win a meaningless war. Gotta give the Ad-Hoc committee some credit for seeing through them.

Yeah I mean, all those parties this past summer in saratoga where the ad hoc guys were sitting with the Excelsior guys at the dinner table have nothing to do with this!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!

In a two horse race between Richard Bomze and George Steinbrenner who did anyone think would win?

LOL!!!! Thats hysterical!!!!

Excelsior
 

Gee, I wonder what position Jerry Bailey will get ? Is he just an investor or will he be an active participant ?

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No, I am not surprised by the outcome. I am a bit surprised by the scoring. Now before everybody jumps up and says this is meaningless, which I do understand, what I am talking about is more the "appearences" and the "aspersions" this recommendation has created.

Eric

Bloodhorse article
 

Here's the take from the Bloodhorse.

" Excelsior said it would pay New York state $100 million up front and another $7.5 million over the 20 year life of the franchise "


http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36474

ALSO from the T'Bred Times

"Panel members favored Excelsior's plan to run racing on a non-profit basis and keep it separate from video lottery terminal operations at Aqueduct and possibly Belmont. Empire was the only firm whose business plan called for a for-profit enterprise."

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/tod...67909&subsec=1

WHy were you surprised?
Have you actually looked over the resumes of the folks on this "committee" and checked out their qualifications to make such recommendations?
For some, its hysterical!!!
It was a puppet squad, and they got more free dinners out of this whole thing than anything else.
As BTW said Bomze or Steinbrenner? I mean, you knew where this was gonna go when it started(the committee), funny thing is that its so meaningless . Its non binding, and a new governor is coming in. Do you really think Spitzer cares what Pataki's guys think?

If the race was chug a lug I'd take Bomze

CEO of Inconsequential Affairs

Ah, the great and famous horseman Bomze.
Does anyone know if he even has an owners liscense anymore?
When was the last time he ran a horse? The 90's?
Funny how he cares so much now about racing in NY.
I'm a NYRA guy, as far as this all goes, but anybody but Empire is my 2nd stance in the matter.

What I said was that I was not surprised by the outcome. The scores? Yes, a bit surprised. While I know this wasn't the creditors committee that sat over the Enron bankruptcy, puppet squad or not, like I said, I for one hope the recommendation is truly meaningless.

Now, in a horse race between Bomze and Steinbrenner, do we even have to talk about that? But it wasn't about those two in absolute terms. And no, of course I don't think Spitzer cares what Pataki's people think. But do you really want to have to be in this situation at all?

I do get everyone's points though.

Eric

If they take that deal then the whole Ad hock group should be brought up on charges. $250 million for the franchise? If I knew it was going to be THAT cheap I'd would have borrowed the $ from Dixie and bid myself!!

ELA, this committe was a joke from the start.

Who do you think Excelsior really is?

Spitzer's boy Fields and a couple of billionaires

Let's see they could have awarded it to a corrupt group like NYRA who didn't even offer to pay the $100 million unless certain conditions were met, or they can give it to the guys with integrity who offered to pay $100 million with no conditions and pay for more than $50 million in pension debt owed by NYRA.

Under a complex scoring system, Excelsior scored 94.6 in areas that included integrity and responsibility, financial viability and details that included plans for renovations of tracks and how to improving the racing industry while attracting more bettors to tracks. Empire scored 93 and NYRA scored 76.5 points. Real close. LOL.


Jack Knowlton was on the committee. Good enough for me. Nobody cares more about NY racing than the guy who owns the only NY bred Kentucky Derby winner.

BYE BYE NYRA.:)

Dude he doesn't know as much about racing as 50% of the folks on this board. Hes a nice guy, yeah, but casting him as the patron saint of Ny racing is kinda over the top.

so being part owner of a derby winner qualifies you to choose the best group to run new york racing?!

Zieg I hear on the next committee they are gonna have the guy who owns Organizer, the horse who won the Empire Classic where Funny Cide was 4th.

Here is my question -- would Jack Knowlton have been named to the committee had he not owned Funny Cide?

Eric

Of course not.

However, he was probably way above the average as far as horse racing knowledge on that committee.

It is very sad for those of us that love this game, and genuinely care about racing in NY State, to see the shoddy treatment it receives from the State. The government isn't just happy with the money they take out of handle, they have to further insult as by filling pretty much any and all positions with the wives of donors.

At least we used to have Ben Liebman. Pataki took care of that.

What everyone is failing to realize is that the committee means nothing. It is all political. The decision might go the same way but the people on the committee have no say in who is rewarded the franchise.

Gee thanks. Nobody has pointed this out.

What some people fail to realize is how obvious " new " posters are.

I'm sure the promise of a $100MM upfront had nothing to do with their selection.

Dude, this was a handpicked committee selected by folks who wanted to make sure NYRA didn't get the bid. That was basically the single biggest qualification to be placed on the committee, that teh members not support NYRA. Knowledge of the inner or obvious workings of the game was not a criteria in any way.