Lets put a group together and bid....

Originally Posted by sumitas

the NY tracks are fan friendly up and down the board. they are fun for families or high rollers or the most avid pure horse racing fans. Saratoga is the world's greatest meet.

i doubt any group of outside sharks like Churchill or Stronach or Delaware stand a chance to rip off NY racing. the money will stay in NY so a NY group, or a combination thereof, will win. and i think there are 2 or 3 interested, including the NYRA.

I love Saratoga but Del Mar is better than Saratoga. A NY group would be fine but NYRA can't get the bid. They just have too many black marks on their record.

[sumitas]

they do. but there are other NY groups in the hunt. God forbid we get a group that encourages a carnival atmosphere of debauchery and mahem on the infield during races. it would be shocking to see a race in NY with a ferris wheel or blitzed out freaks in the infield. NY racing is fun, fan friendly, family friendly and is conducted with the decorum that the sport deserves.

yeah Del Mar looks real cool. i see alice in chains is playing there in aug. nice.

Originally Posted by sumitas

they do. but there are other NY groups in the hunt. God forbid we get a group that encourages a carnival atmosphere of debauchery and mahem on the infield during races. it would be shocking to see a race in NY with a ferris wheel or blitzed out freaks in the infield. NY racing is fun, fan friendly, family friendly and is conducted with the decorum that the sport deserves.

yeah Del Mar looks real cool. i see alice in chains is playing there in aug. nice.

They call it 4 Oclock fridays. Jimmy Eat World is there this summer too. I guess you can always head over to the ballet up in Saratoga.

Originally Posted by sumitas

they do. but there are other NY groups in the hunt. God forbid we get a group that encourages a carnival atmosphere of debauchery and mahem on the infield during races. it would be shocking to see a race in NY with a ferris wheel or blitzed out freaks in the infield. NY racing is fun, fan friendly, family friendly and is conducted with the decorum that the sport deserves.

yeah Del Mar looks real cool. i see alice in chains is playing there in aug. nice.

I guess the atomosphere the NYRA encourages is the reason why they cant get a $20mm loan to continue to operate. Look, you have to combine making money with good racing. Sometimes the two have to meet in the middle.

[sumitas]

There is plenty of money generated by the ny tracks. with a correct business model the tracks will all be solvent. no need for carnies and all sorts of gimmicks foisted on horse racing by incompetent managers. if you want a theme park, go there. i really think frankie missed his calling. malls, theme parks, stuff like that suits him. not race tracks. the outsiders will have to look elsewhere to siphon off horse race money for their failed ventures.

I live in NY and the tracks need to do something. Friday night concerts at Belmont with real bands or something. You are better off just watching races on tv than going to the track right now.

[sumitas]

i'm sure the new group will entertain the fans with music...although the ballerinas have that certain something

This is how a racetrack operation should be handled.

As the search for his successor continues, Churchill Downs Inc. president and chief executive officer Tom Meeker presided over his 22nd and final shareholders' meeting Thursday, painting a positive picture of the racetrack operating company's future while also accepting plaudits from fellow directors and company employees.
"Over the next several months there will be dramatic changes in this company under the leadership of a new person," Meeker said as he opened the meeting.

As the CDI executive search committee continues its work in choosing his successor, Meeker said he would like to see a new president and CEO who is a "proven leader with a sense of risk-taking who also understands technology and new products it will create."

Meeker reiterated observations he has made in recent months that the horse industry needs to change the business model under which it operates by obtaining more revenues from simulcasting ventures. He also cited CDI's expansion into European wagering markets, in conjunction with Magna Entertainment, as a positive move that will fuel industry growth.

Richard Duchossois, CDI's largest shareholder, would not provide specifics of the search for Meeker's successor because he is not on the search committee. But he said he believed the company is on the right course to position itself for future growth.

As part of the Meeker sendoff, a video tribute recounting progress the company has made under Meeker and accolades from employees was played.

Following the video, an emotional CDI board chairman Carl Pollard said that Meeker credited his employees when things went well, but that "when things went south, there was only one man standing. He takes no credit for success but full responsibility" when it is negative.

Judging by the positive financial condition of the company as indicated by the 2005 financial results, Meeker could be taking a lot of credit.

"2005 was a remarkable year," Meeker said. "We have gotten ourselves into a position in which we are as strong financially as we have ever been. We are well-positioned to execute on various strategies both in the short-term and long-term."

Recounting the two hurricanes, one tornado, and an outbreak of equine herpesvirus at CDI-owned tracks during 2005 that impacted the company's business, Meeker said those negative developments were more than offset by the benefit from the sale of Hollywood Park in California and other corporate decisions that led to an overall good year financially.

(CDI previously reported 2005 earnings totaled $78.9 million, compared to net earnings of $8.9 million during 2004. Net earnings per diluted share for 2005 totaled $5.86, which included net earnings per diluted share from continuing operations of $0.96 and net earnings per diluted share from discontinued operations of $4.90. In 2004, net earnings per diluted share equaled $0.67, which was comprised of net earnings per diluted share from continuing operations of $0.73 and a net loss per diluted share from discontinued operations of $0.06.

Net revenues from continuing operations, which included a full-year of revenues from the company's Louisiana operations, totaled $408.8 million in 2005, a 13.2% increase over net revenues from continuing operations of $361.2 million generated during 2004. Net revenues from continuing operations during the fourth quarter of 2005 totaled $81.7 million, a 4.9% decrease from the net revenues of $85.9 million generated by the company's continuing operations during the fourth quarter of 2004.)

During the business part of the meeting, shareholders re-elected Meeker, Leonard Coleman, G. Watts Humphrey, and Craig Duchossois to three-year terms as Class I directors.