old news time to see the new numbers

all public records and Teamsters Local 707 should distribute same to its members

in a timely fashion

 

Nassau OTB to let comptroller see finances

www.newsday.com › Long Island

Jan 30, 2010 – Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos has gotten Nassau OTB to agree to release to him its financial data.

Nassau OTB financials are public records

and Teamsters Local 707 collects dues and does not supply members with financials to make informed opinions. If NYC OTB went bankrupt anything might happen.  Books are for burning?
The trend is down, but there are common sense sorts of things that should have been done. 
Titanic tickets on sale?

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — This is not the kind of March madness Atlantic City was hoping for.
The resort town’s 12 gambling houses saw their casino revenue fall by 10.5 percent in March compared with a year ago.
The casinos took in $238.5 million last month. Of that total, nearly $173 million came from slot machines, down nearly 10 percent from March 2012, and $65.6 million came from table games, down nearly 13 percent from a year ago.
Aside from Revel, which didn’t open until April 2012, only one casino saw a revenue increase last month. The Atlantic Club was up nearly 33 percent in March, to $12.6 million.
The casino, which is being bought by the PokerStars online gambling website, has been ramping up its revenue for several months, and saw its slot machine revenue increase by more than 36 percent in March, to $11.2 million.
Michael Frawley, the casino’s chief operating officer, said The Atlantic Club’s value pricing strategy, which it began last year to aggressively court low-rollers and gamblers seeking affordable food, drink and table games, is paying off.
“This has a lot to do with our position in the market and how it’s resonating with customers,” he said. “We have always felt there is a place for an affordably priced product in this market. We’ve worked very hard and we drove a lot of new people to this property.”

The Atlantic Club did particularly well at penny slot machines during the month.
The biggest decline came at Trump Plaza Hotel Casino, which was down nearly 31 percent, to $6.8 million. It was recently sold to a California company and will be re-branded once the new owners take over later this year.
The Showboat Casino Hotel was down 24.3 percent to $16.8 million; Caesars Atlantic City was down 22.8 percent to $24.1 million; and the Tropicana Casino and Resort was down nearly 22 percent to $20 million.
Bally’s Atlantic City was down 18.8 percent to $21.8 million; the Trump Taj Mahal Casino resort was down 18.7 percent to $23.4 million, and Resorts Casino Hotel was down 16.3 percent to $9.2 million.
Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City was down 13.8 percent to $30.6 million; the Golden Nugget Atlantic City was down 4.1 percent to $10.7 million, and the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa was down 3.6 percent to $52.1 million, by far the highest total in the city.
Revel won $9.8 million in March, up nearly 9 percent from February. Next month will be the first year-to-year comparison for Revel, which opened April 2, 2012, and had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.
Part of Atlantic City’s overall slot machine revenue decline for the month was due to a 20 percent decline — about $7.2 million — in the amount of promotional credits that customers wagered last month compared to the same period last year
For the first three months of this year, Atlantic City’s casinos won $656 million from gamblers, down more than 12 percent from the same period a year ago.

sign the working/betting/religious freedom

Petition

Hello!
I've started the petition "Nassau OTB. all NY OTBs, and Governor Andrew Cuomo: open 365 days of the year, " and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:
http://www.change.org/petitions/nassau-otb-all-ny-otbs-and-governor-andrew-cuomo-open-365-days-of-the-year
Here's why it's important:

NY PML Sec 109 does not apply to Nassau OTB.
NY PML Sec 109 violates the rights of NY State Bettors secured by N Y Const. Art. 1, Sec. 3.
NY PML Sec 109 is vague, indefinite and/or overly broad as the term "Easter Sunday" does not define one and only one Sunday in all years. See the Gregorian and Julian Calendars. The term "Palm Sunday" does not define one and only one Sunday in all years.
In other words:
HI-
Thanks for the help. The item’s below. I’d be happy to mail you a copy, if you give me a mailing address.

Claude Solnik
(631) 913-4244
Long Island Business News
2150 Smithtown Ave.
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-7348

Home > LI Confidential > Stop scratching on holidays
Stop scratching on holidays
Published: June 1, 2012
Off Track Betting in New York State has been racing into a crisis called shrinking revenue. Some people have spitballed a solution: Don’t close on holidays.
New York State Racing Law bars racing on Christmas, Easter and Palm Sunday, and the state has ruled OTBs can’t handle action on those days, even though they could easily broadcast races from out of state.
“You should be able to bet whenever you want,” said Jackson Leeds, a Nassau OTB employee who makes an occasional bet. He added some irrefutable logic: “How is the business going to make money if you’re not open to take people’s bets?”
Elias Tsekerides, president of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, said OTB is open on Greek Orthodox Easter and Palm Sunday.
“I don’t want discrimination,” Tsekerides said. “They close for the Catholics, but open for the Greek Orthodox? It’s either open for all or not open.”
OTB officials have said they lose millions by closing on Palm Sunday alone, with tracks such as Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Turf Paradise and Hawthorne running.
One option: OTBs could just stay open and face the consequences. New York City OTB did just that back in 2003. The handle was about $1.5 million – and OTB was fined $5,000.
Easy money.
OPEN ON 1ST PALM SUNDAY, OTB RAKES IN $2M - NY Daily News
www.nydailynews.com/.../open-1st-palm-sunday-otb-rakes-2m-articl...
Since 1973, when Sunday racing was made legal in New York State, race ... allowed to operate every Sunday except for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. ... By Jerry Bossert / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS. Monday, April 14, 2003, 12:00 AM ...
You can sign my petition by clicking here.
Thanks!
leonard smith

they did not need an Attorney General

Opinion when they passed a law  NY PML Sec 109 that referred to Easter Sunday and Palm Sunday and did not distinguish or specify that the day was that observed by either or both churches, the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.   Preet is not done yet?

Bill No.:  

 
•  Summary 
 
•  Actions 
 
•  Votes 
 
•  Memo 
 
•  Text 
• (Printer friendly text)

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A00867 Summary:

BILL NO    A00867 

SAME AS    SAME AS S00331

SPONSOR    Weprin

COSPNSR    

MLTSPNSR   

Amd Art 1 S9, Constn

Authorizes gambling on professional sporting events and athletic events
sponsored by universities or colleges at betting facilities located at
thoroughbred and harness racetracks operating in this state, in simulcast
theaters operated by off-track betting corporations and in any constitutionally
authorized casino facility; provides that the proceeds of such gambling be
applied exclusively to or in aid or support of education.

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A00867 Actions:

BILL NO    A00867 

01/09/2013 referred to racing and wagering
01/10/2013 to attorney-general for opinion
02/04/2013 opinion referred to judiciary

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A00867 Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.

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picking shifts should be an easy process?

Section 162 of the NYS Labor Law requires every person who works a shift of more than 6 hours to receive a meal break of at least 30 minutes. Please see attached. Since you work a shift of 4.5 hours, no meal break is required.

Carmine Ruberto, Director

Division of Labor Standards

By: Vincent Hammond

Senior Labor Standards Investigator

New York State Department of Labor

Division of Labor Standards

75 Varick Street, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10013

(212) 775-3719

From: 
Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2013 8:18 PM
To: labor.sm.ls.ask
Subject: Labor Website Contact Form Submission - Labor Law Violations

Subject: Labor Law Violations

Dear Sir/Madam: I am employed as a Part Time Cashier at Nassau OTB, a public benefit corporation. I work 18 hours a week, four 4 1/2 shifts. I am a member of Teamsters Local 707, Kevin McCaffrey President. On March 27, 2013 the cashiers in the Franklin Square Branch of Nassau OTB picked their shifts for the coming year starting April 14, 2013. Each cashier picks four shifts of four and a half hours duration. All went smoothly until I was denied my fourth pick, the Wednesday 3:45-8:15 pm shift. I had previously chosen The 11:15am-3:45 pm shift. What, if anything, does the laws of the State of NY require Nassau OTB to provide for breaks. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Teamsters and Nassau OTB simply requires two 15 minute breaks and one twenty minute break for any shift over 7 hours. I would think that two consecutive 4 1/2 shifts would simply have the same breaks. Please advise in writing ASAP. The next Local 707 General Meeting is April 14, 2013 and the new schedule starts on April 14. 

Sincerely yours, 

 Part Time Nassau OTB Cashier  

Cornell President prepares to buy politicians

 

David Skorton, another man who thinks that NY can decree when "Easter Sunday" is?

Cornell's Greeks are limited to the fraternities. No Greek Orthodox believers attend Cornell.

 

04/11/2013 6:48PM

NYRA continues search for CEO, hopes to have new executive by June

By David Grening

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NEW YORK - While the search for a new president and CEO for the New York Racing Association continues judiciously, the breadth of the job was illustrated by myriad topics discussed at Thursday’s meeting of the company’s Reorganization Board.
From the prospects of installing synthetic surfaces at its two downstate racetracks, to the desire to quickly re-enter the off-track betting market in New York City, the new CEO will have significant issues to tackle when he or she comes on board, presumably by June.
NYRA board chairman David Skorton characterized the search as “rounding second” in an interview following the meeting. He said there is no “short list” of candidates but wanted to dispel the myth that the search was “for show” and focused on just one or two people. Former racing executives Lou Raffeto and Bill Murphy have been two names that have been rumored to be under consideration, but Skorton said the search is not just focusing on those with solely a racing background.
“We’re looking at people very experienced in Thoroughbred racing, looking at people who have experience more in hospitality and setting up destinations; people with a very strong business background,” Skorton said.
“We have heard through the blogosphere that people were concerned we already had one or two people lined up and this whole thing was for show, but it really isn’t."
While Skorton would not specify a timetable, he did say that he hopes to have someone in place by June.
Meanwhile, Skorton has charged board member Michael DelGiudice to recommend an interim leadership team within two weeks because acting NYRA CEO and president Ellen McClain will leave the company on April 30.
By the time a new leader is appointed, NYRA will have attempted to introduce legislation that would enable it to put betting machines in a variety of New York City bars and restaurants, essentially attempting to revive the NYC OTB market that has been dormant since that company’s demise in 2010.
Stuart Sobotnick, chairman of NYRA’s Finance Committee, said that it is NYRA’s desire to be in 10 restaurants and bars in 2014 and 40 establishments overall within three years.
Subotnick said that NYRA would gain a net income of $2.8 million in 2014, growing to $15.7 million by 2017. Subotnick said that when fully operational, the state would receive $4.2 million annually. However, NYRA must quickly draft legislation and have it introduced before the legislative session ends in June.
“We need state approval, we need legislation, we have to get approvals at city level,” Subotnick said. “This is not a done deal.”
Bobby Flay, a board member and restaurateur in the city, said that NYRA could get resistance from city community boards.
NYRA continues to explore the feasibility of installing synthetic surfaces at Aqueduct and or Belmont. A synthetic surface would be in addition to the turf and dirt courses already in place, not as a replacement for dirt. Synthetics are not being discussed for Saratoga.
At Aqueduct, the thinking is that the inner track could be replaced by a synthetic surface while the main track would be winterized.
At Belmont, a synthetic surface would possibly be installed inside the two turf courses and help keep field sizes together when rain forces races off the turf.
P.J. Campo, the NYRA director of racing, said that by reducing scratches, a synthetic surface at Belmont “would pay for itself in two to three years.”
Campo said that by putting in a synthetic surface at Aqueduct, “you attract a whole other group of horses [and trainers] that never stay for the winter.”
Glen Kozak, NYRA’s director of racing surfaces, brought in four samples of Polytrack - one from Woodbine, two from Keeneland and one from WinStar Farm - to show members of the Equine Safety Committee, but he did not offer an opinion on which one was preferred.
In other topics discussed:
* According to NYRA statistics, the fatality rate at Aqueduct’s inner track declined from 4.0 per 1000 starters in 2011-12 to 1.6 per 1000 starters in 2012-13. There were 17 fewer racing days and 151 fewer races run this winter than last year.
NYRA reported six racing-related equine fatalities during the inner-track meet - there were 20 last year - and reported two other equine deaths that were not considered racing related.
There were two additional horses - Volition and Baby Zapper - who were vanned off from races at Aqueduct and who were later euthanized but were not mentioned in the report.
* For the first quarter of 2013, NYRA reported a 3 percent increase in daily average handle, but noted that because of a reduction in racing days, handle was down from $488 million in 2012 to $400 million in 2013.
There were 51 racing days in the first quarter of 2013, compared with 64 racing days in 2012, according to McClain.
* The NYRA board passed a resolution to go with Am-Tote to replace its current tote operator United Tote. That is likely to begin in the fall.
* Skorton assigned an ad-hoc committee to review a contract with the Global Betting Exchange, a company that would enhance the online wagering experience for bettors as well as help NYRA better connect with its customers.
A contract with GBE was defined by several board members as a “revenue driver” but has been met with some resistance from other board members because it is a sole source contract.

another historian of NYC OTB?

• NY CRIME
• April 10, 2013, 9:47 p.m. ET

Corruption Case Witness Indicted

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By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY

A former Bronx Assemblyman was arraigned Wednesday on a 2009 indictment for perjury in a case authorities said had led to his cooperation in a federal corruption probe that resulted last week in the arrest of a fellow lawmaker.
Nelson Castro, a Democrat, resigned from his seat Monday following revelations he was a cooperating witness in the investigation of Democratic Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson was arrested last Thursday and charged with accepting bribes in exchange for political favors. Mr. Stevenson and his attorney have denied the allegations.
On Wednesday, Mr. Castro pleaded not guilty to three counts of perjury stemming from a secret 2009 indictment by a grand jury following an investigation by the Bronx District Attorney's office—an indictment unsealed only on Wednesday.
Mr. Castro, who was elected in 2009, was released on his own recognizance.
His resignation, announced last week, took effect Monday.
Mr. Castro said last week that the 2009 indictment had led to him to cooperate with state and federal prosecutors. Their investigation ultimately led to Mr. Stevenson's arrest for allegedly accepting $22,000 in bribes in exchange for helping a group of businessmen open adult day-centers in his district, according to a criminal complaint.
If Mr. Castro fulfills his cooperation agreement with prosecutors, the perjury indictment would be dismissed and he would avoid a possible 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison if convicted, his attorney and court papers said.
"Nelson Castro accepts full responsibility for his misconduct and he will honestly and faithfully cooperate in the pending prosecution," and other investigations by federal and state prosecutors, his attorney, Michael Farkas said.
According to the indictment, Mr. Castro lied under oath in August 2008 during testimony before the New York City Board of Elections. The hearing was to determine his eligibility for the ballot in the primary for the 86th Assembly District. Mr. Castro lied when he said he didn't know two people who were in fact assisting his campaign, according to the indictment.
Write to Tamer El-Ghobashy at tamer.el-ghobashy@wsj.com