Group: Cuomo’s racing plan harmful
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan for New York racing threatens Saratoga because money now earmarked for capital improvements would be taken away, a local citizens group says.
The group Concerned Citizens for Saratoga Racing says the governor is also reneging on his promise to reprivatize New York Racing Association.
Citing sources within state government, the group says Cuomo wants the 15-member board to have seven state appointees, which would effectively maintain state control because the chairman is also hand-picked by the governor.
“Multiple sources in the Assembly and Senate and lobbying firms in Albany have shared their information with us,” said Todd Shimkus, the racing group’s spokesman and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce president.
At present, NYRA gets tens of millions of dollars annually from the New York Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct. Money for operations, purses and the state’s thoroughbred breeding industry would be left intact. However, Cuomo wants to transfer money NYRA gets for capital projects to the state’s general fund where it would be used for education, Shimkus said.
This is especially concerning for Saratoga Race Course, which is 152 years old, he said.
NYRA has already unveiled plans for major improvements at the track including a new clubhouse addition, which is seen as critical to boosting attendance.
The governor’s apparent plan is particularly disconcerting to John Hendrickson, Marylou Whitney’s husband and Cuomo’s advisor to the NYRA board on Saratoga racing issues.
“It’s hard to be critical of a family friend, but my loyalty is to Saratoga,” Hendrickson said. “I certainly don’t want to see Governor Cuomo portrayed as the most anti-racing governor in New York history. If New York is to be seen as ‘Open for Business’ our government has to honor its contracts. This is another example of chipping away at money from VLTs (the Aqueduct casino’s video lottery terminals).”
Recently, the state approved a deal to let Nassau Regional Off Track Betting put VLTs at Aqueduct, in direct competition to the betting machines already there. None of Nassau OTB’s VLT revenue will go to NYRA.
“It’s not playing by the rules that were set out,” Hendrickson said.
Cuomo wrested control of NYRA in October 2012 by creating a 17-member Reorganization Board with 12 state appointees. He charged the group with returning NYRA to private control by October 2015.
But early last year, he refused to let go and apparently wants to continue state control with his latest proposal.
“His plan is another means by which he is seeking to exert his control over NYRA and the future of our state’s thoroughbred racing industry,” the citizens group said in a press release. “We are vehemently opposed to the transfer of funds legally designated via prior agreements to support our state’s thoroughbred racing industry into the state’s general fund. This change ignores the fact that New York State was given $1 billion in real estate at NYRA’s three tracks in return for the granting of a 25-year franchise agreement and a legislatively-approved revenue sharing formula from the VLT at Aqueduct. The VLT revenues are like mortgage payments for the land. If they can change the agreement this year, they will change it next year, too.”
In addition to Shimkus and Hendrickson, the citizens group’s executive board is comprised of Maureen Lewi, its chairperson; Charles Wait, Adirondack Trust Co. chairman, president and CEO; Saratoga Springs attorney Matt Jones; Cindy Hollowood, Holiday Inn general manager; and Spa City businessman Rod Sutton.
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