Empire and Excelsior Fighting For Slots

With the recommendation from the State Committee on the Future of Racing in New York being for the incoming government to choose Excelsior to take over the incoming slot machines and racing franchise, some would think that would be the end of the argument. However, Empire Racing says they are still in the running. They say they know that they might not have their recommendation, but they are not the final word on the decision. They say that they are confident that once they plead their case to the incoming government, that they will win the slot machine and racing rights instead.

"We're at the quarter pole and we're neck and neck," said Jeff Perlee of Empire Racing. Empire is from Saratoga Springs, and they include Churchill Downs as well as Magna Entertainment. They know that with their company’s history of understanding slot machines and racing, that they are the better choice. "These aren't the decision makers," Empire spokesman Robert Bellafiore said of the committee. "The decision makers are the governor and the Legislature."

In fact, the fight for the slot machines and racetracks could get ugly as Bellafiore already referred to Excelsior as a “dog track operator” because most of their experience is in harness and greyhound racing, as opposed to slot machines and casinos as well as racing. However, Excelsior promised to increase revenue and purses for the racetracks by putting slot machines at tracks other than Saratoga, and upgrading facilities at all three tracks.

The New York Racing Association isn’t giving up the idea that they might still have a chance at retaining the franchise as well. They say that they can compete with other casinos and slot machines, as well as lotteries and other competitors. They said that they think that once the bids are submitted and the state’s new government has a chance to look at all of them, they will see that the NYRA is still the best choice for running the tracks and the incoming slot machines.

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