PATERSON: I’LL BE FORCED TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICE
New York Governor David Paterson declared his intent to take matters into his own hands by naming a vendor for the racino conversion at Aqueduct.
Whether he’s hearing the desperation call from NYRA as a real warning sign of bad things to come or cozying up to a constituency he needs desperately on his side to have any chance of winning reelection, it almost doesn’t matter. It’s refreshing to see someone exert leadership into this saga. This could end up being a real home run for the much-beleaguered Governor if he can resolve this mess.
Click here for the entire Times-Union article
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think.
Tags: Albany Times-Union, aqueduct, bradford cummings, david paterson, Governor David Paterson, nyra, Paulick Report
January 1st, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Exerting leadership? Are you an idiot or what? Leadership would be divesting the state of all gambling business to private enterprises and letting them rise or fall on their own merits - if any. Why the f*** should the government extort money by rote from the poor illiterate ignoramouses and transfer it to the demographically wealthiest individuals on the planet. Why the f*** are you not asking why the richest godamned people on the freakin planet, thoroughbred horse owners, need welfare for their hobby to survive? Why the f*** are you not asking why all of these multi-millionaires are absolutely clueless on how to make racing a sustainable business? When these lying,cheating,thieving idiots come up with the answer to that, that would be leadership.
January 1st, 2010 at 8:52 pm
First day of the new year and we might have a winner for best response of 2010.
January 1st, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Ah, where to begin? But I guess I’m feeling euphoric, as our horses have a 100% win percentage for the year to date, so why not?
First, it’s true that a few horse owners are obscenely rich. Most, though, are not. They’re ordinary guys (mostly) who love racing, and use money from their day jobs or their small businesses to support their horse habit. Overall, purses account for roughly half of what it costs to keep horses in training, and that’s before you take into account the original cost of buying or breeding the horse. Race horse owners lose money. Period.
Next, I wish it were as simple as Gov. Paterson making up his mind. As I understand the situation, he still needs the approval of the State Senate leadership, whoever that might be, and of Assembly Speaker Shelley Silver. I’m sure they’ll be heard from if Paterson picks someone they don’t like.
Not much to choose between the incompetence of Albany and that of NYRA’s leadership. Since I’m still in a good mood from today’s race, I guess I’ll just hope they both do better in the new year.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:17 am
The most baffling part of this nearly nine-year saga is why the mainstream press in NY has given state officials a pass on the issue.
This decision should have been made 5 years ago. By not making it, NY taxpayers have lost approximately $2 billion in their share of the revenue. That is the ultimate bottom line.
Despite Phil’s concern for ignorant mouses, ignorant mooses, or ignoramuses, people want to gamble and they will do it — period. So then the question becomes who will benefit from the net revenue generated. Better it be NY taxpayers than those in New Jersey or Connecticut.
In addition, higher purse levels mean larger fields, more wagering handle, and more breeder and owner awards. The economic activity generated among NY farms and agribusiness could, over time, become nearly as valuable as the $400 million per year in direct revenue.
I suppose you can call Paterson’s announcement leadership. Isn’t it ironic that an elected official doing his or her job has become defined as leadership. That is a sad indictment of how government has come to work.
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:46 am
New York needs leadership at this time and this coming year will be a real test for Albany’s leaders as the Budget deficit is forecast by Tom DiNapoli’s office o be double last year’s deficit (about $7 Billion). It is also time to show leadership and choose the Aqueduct casino operator. All eyes are on this choice now because it has been highlighted as a part resolution to the $3.2 Billion budget deficit in the current Financial year which ends on 3/31/2010.
All 5 bidders seem qualified but NYRA clearly has a favorite horse in the race. Charlie Hayward has publicly stated his preference is SL Green. His preference the last time around was Delaware North and we know where that saga ended.
If Governor Paterson chooses SL Green (surely he wont go back to Delaware North who created this unnecessary situation by not performing under its previous winning bid) is he sending a message to Tom DiNapoli that he does not support his attack on NYRA and to pull off his auditors from lifting the veil on NYRA’s books.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:36 am
NYRA’s first choice was MGM, which is one of the 5 bidders this time again. The NYRA-MGM partnership was rejected by Governor Pataki.
NYRA’s choice the second time around was Delaware North. They won the bid in 2008 but failed to put up the promised $370 million and so cost the industry (not to mention NY taxpayers) hundreds of millions.
This time again they want SL Green. One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over again and hope to get a different result. The choice of the Aqueduct operator is clearly very important to the eventual success of the VLT operation and to the Thoroughbred Horseracing in New York and in Kentucky. Lets hope Governor Paterson gets this decision right this time.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:50 am
This has been an incredible winding road and anything to get this to the finish line is long overdue. Sadly - though - it probably helps that Gov. Patterson’s re-election bid is about a 150-1 shot of being successful, so he can push forward on any number of issues without a care about the politics of the side he takes or the people he irks.
January 3rd, 2010 at 12:12 pm
There is something in Charlie’s Hayward’s words that I do not understand and maybe someone on here can clarify for me.
Charlie has stated that NYRA will probably breakeven but that the $30 million given by the State for working capital will be exhausted before the Belmont Stakes.
I am no accountant but if NYRA is breaking even, this $30 million must have or is being used for a non operating expense. This is either for capital expenditure or to increase purses. Could there be any other non-operating expense at NYRA? Can anyone shed a light here?
Maybe we will only find this information out from Di Napoli’s auditors.