I was also at one of the Turf Clubs of Parx this Friday and Saturday just to get out of the house and hang with some friends in the same boat. They were happy AQU was open, but it's not everybody's favorite winter betting venue.
My estimates and those I got from others was business was off 60% to 75%.
One thing people forget is that that waitresses/waiters. bartenders and mutuel clerks all suffer in this. Ticket-takers don't get tipped with nobody playing and hitting nice tickets, bartenders and wait staff don't get tipped from customers who aren't there. They all took a hit 2 weeks before Christmas.
I'd like to see what exactly we're talking about here. Both sides are secretive about percentages and arrangements. I kinda feel that this is my $2 and I should really know where it's all going. One of the obstacles is that it is basically unregulated by the state jurisdictions beyond what is going on in that jurisdiction. For example, in PA, the racing commission controls where it's state-based (Parx, Penn Nat) handle goes and it's public record. Simulcasting is different. This Mid-Atlantic Coalition and Monarch are not racing entities and come under no jurisdiction of state racing commissions.
Maybe they should.
I'm going to think up some questions and post them later this week. Not that I think any of the 2 groups involved in this really have any stake in what the betting public think. They are paid by the tracks and, most likely receive no difference in income related to handle. They seem to be buying and selling groups. No sales or performance commission as such. I don't know.
If anybody can get this settled, it's Steve.
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