Pimlico

[Kasept]

With stability in S. Florida, Stronach Group seeks momentum in Maryland
By Karen M. Johnson

https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/a...entum-maryland

With the new racing model in South Florida off to a flying start, TSG is also looking to improve operations at their two Maryland tracks, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course.

To that end, TSG’s chief operating officer, Tim Ritvo, has spent a considerable amount of time in Maryland in recent months. Among the projects Ritvo has overseen is the ongoing construction of 300 new stalls on Laurel’s backstretch. Also part of the $7 million investment by TSG at Laurel is the building of new lavatories for men and women on the backstretch, and the installation of security cameras, both on the backside and frontside.

Other enhancements and renovations extend to both the grandstand at Laurel and Pimlico. The first floor at Laurel has been outfitted with more than 150 new flat-screen televisions and betting carrels. At Pimlico’s Sports Palace bar, walls were removed to afford customers better views of the racetrack.

Ritvo is also looking at the bigger picture and is aiming to strengthen the racing product in Maryland, making it more attractive to bettors. Ritvo said he is in talks with horsemen and management from neighboring states, Delaware and Virginia, in an endeavor to create a unified racing circuit with tracks there and in Maryland. The concept is for a coordinated year-round racing schedule in the Mid-Atlantic, under one racing office, that will bolster field size.