NYRA: Spitzer nod on 30 yr renewal

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

It has been four long years, but in the end the best group to run thoroughbred racing in N.Y won...let the political games end (although I highly doubt that) and continue with the great product NYRA has to offer. Racing is the top priority from here on out!

[pgiaco]

Agreed, this is the best thing to happen to NY racing in years...Have to also agree with the point that Charlie Hayward is a first class guy and cannot be given enough credit for pulling, basically a rabbit out of a hat, to save NYRA. Now if the State doesn't try to play politics, maybe racing here can get back on track.
Don't get me started on the OTBs though.

[ELA]

Originally Posted by Cardus

After settling the question of whom will run the New York tracks, you know that the OTB dilemna is the next mountain, not that I expect a change in the relationship between NYRA and the state OTB branches.

I would expect a change. Not as part of this deal, but it will be accounted for in some respect, or many perhaps. I think the OTB issue gets resolved as part of the changes in the VLT legislation.

Eric

[pgiaco]

Good Luck negotiating the political cesspool that is NYCOTB. The patronage and incompetence is so ingrown that I don't know how you can fix the problem. It has always escaped me why NYRA and OTB were set up as competitors. There would be more than enough pie to go around if it was one entity.

[pgiaco]

I think they might do it differently!