CRIST: Sets the NY facts straight

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

NYRA has more than a " chance " to remain in control of the franchise. They are a substantial favorite, in fact, to do so. However, I agree with everyone here that says this article should be in all the above mentioned papers, and it is my sincere hope that NYRA takes out full page ads, reprinting this article, in at least some of these publications.

There is, I think unfortunately, a gap between public perception about this franchise battle and its realities. In some ways I fault NYRA for this, though in other ways I can understand their thinking, as it seems obvious that they have chosen not to roll around in the dirt with the other bidders who are intentionally skewing the facts. What I would like to see them do is a better job of presenting their case to the public without getting into a battle with the other bidders.

good to know.
they weren't the ones chosen by the panel set up by the previous gov, correct? so, with spitzer throwing it back into the process, did their chances improve by much?
is this a case of going with what you know, rather than what you don't? and wasn't the group that swindal was a part of, along with the steinbrenners, the one who got the nod first time out?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Danzig

good to know.
they weren't the ones chosen by the panel set up by the previous gov, correct? so, with spitzer throwing it back into the process, did their chances improve by much?
is this a case of going with what you know, rather than what you don't? and wasn't the group that swindal was a part of, along with the steinbrenners, the one who got the nod first time out?

The panel makes recommendations....they don't choose the franchise holder. The first panel selected a group that has now pretty much dropped out of the bidding. Pretty sad to think their recommendation didn't even make the second go-round.

[Payson Dave]

It seems to me that the delay in getting the slots up and running at Aqu has been an intentional attempt to undermine NYRA....I think it is fair to explore which politians benefit from the undermining of NYRA and how do they benefit...ie some connection to Excelsior or Empire???

[blackthroatedwind]

I can't help but harken back to a recent appearance of mine on ATRAB, right after the first panel recommended Excelsior, where I was interupted ( frequently and at length ) by Excelsior shill Gary Contessa. He went on and on about how great it was going to be to have NY racing run by the Steinbrenner family and the New York Yankees.

Boy was Gary right! They were so committed to NY racing that they dropped out just a few months later. Wow would we have been lucky to have had people so determined to run NY racing that they couldn't even make it to the second cut of the bidding process.

Where is the accountability for these people and their followers? Who do they have to answer to for cheering on the Steinbrenner group who abandoned NY racing at the drop of a hat ( or should I say pants )? Of course now they are getting behind Steve Wynn. What will be their response when Wynn drops out in the coming week(s)? How can Excelsior even be considered a viable bidder when they change leadership like Gary Stevens changes occupations?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Payson Dave

It seems to me that the delay in getting the slots up and running at Aqu has been an intentional attempt to undermine NYRA....I think it is fair to explore which politians benefit from the undermining of NYRA and how do they benefit...ie some connection to Excelsior or Empire???

No doubt. If NYRA had the slots running two years ago, as they legally should have, they would have been so financially strong that replacing them would have been extremely tough. But, of course, Empire actually claimed last summer at Saratoga that NYRA had intentionally withheld the slots ( to keep money from the horsemen I suppose ). Here's another group, Empire, that is either not smart enough to understand the situation or willing to say ANYTHING to attempt to make NYRA look bad. Either way they hardly seem like a group that should be in a position to run racing in NY.