Lets put a group together and bid....

Originally Posted by oracle80

I mean only an idiot would accept a puff piece from teh company itslef and try to pass it off as proof that they are a-ok.
Wanna know what really happened? They bought a bad business(Hollywood) bled out a lot of red ink, then dumped it. gee, thats a great plan huh? What a hit, you sell a bad property that bled red ink. Then try to represent it as a banner year with flowers blooming and sunshine shining.

Somebody is going to sell aqueduct and make Belmont a track for the winter/spring/fall. Just a question of who sells it.

Oracle--do you know how much money they made by buying and selling Hollywood Park. They bought low and sold high. That is good business. Besides the sell off of Hollywood basically off-sets the construction of Churchill. Oracle, you know horses but you dont know business.

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Oracle--do you know how much money they made by buying and selling Hollywood Park. They bought low and sold high. That is good business. Besides the sell off of Hollywood basically off-sets the construction of Churchill. Oracle, you know horses but you dont know business.

Oh would you care to enlighten us about what the sale price was compared to the sell price and how much red ink was spilled there in between?
As far as the reconstruction goes I get it just fine, its overkill. I mean they are open what 3-4 months a year? And two days a year they have a large crowd. You actually think that those expenditures were necessary to that level? WHose gonna use those facilities the other 363 days a year? And do you honestly think that the cost of that refurbishment is going to be justified when its over with higher revenue form on track patrons? I get business just fine, the kind where the truth is told and not the spin.

Originally Posted by oracle80

Oh would you care to enlighten us about what the sale price was compared to the sell price and how much red ink was spilled there in between?
As far as the reconstruction goes I get it just fine, its overkill. I mean they are open what 3-4 months a year? And two days a year they have a large crowd. You actually think that those expenditures were necessary to that level? WHose gonna use those facilities the other 363 days a year? And do you honestly think that the cost of that refurbishment is going to be justified when its over with higher revenue form on track patrons? I get business just fine, the kind where the truth is told and not the spin.

Actually Churchill uses those facilities almost all year. That is now their main simulcasting location, they hold weddings, conventions etc etc in the new facilities. The smart thing was they made it multi-purpose. Which is smart in this day and age. When I get home I will get my shareowners report from the quarter where they sold Hollywood. I will post the number tonight or tomorrow when I am at work.

[Exceller]

Originally Posted by boldruler

Somebody is going to sell aqueduct and make Belmont a track for the winter/spring/fall. Just a question of who sells it.

What is the point of Aqueduct considering it is all the same people? How about starting Saratoga on July4 and running through Labor day and just stay at Belmont the rest of the year.

[sumitas]

I haven't a clue. I would think they need the stalls at both tracks, regardless whether Belmont or Aqueduct is having their meet.

[Gander]

6 weeks is plenty long enough. I liked it better at 4. Running for an additional 2 or 3 weeks would kill the tradition. Please, no more than 6 weeks here.

[sumitas]

hmmm, interesting how everyone is brainstorming about the nyra tracks.

but you can't just sell aqueduct without providing at least an equal number of additional stalls at belmont. and horses work out at both tracks during the whole year. where are they gonna work out if they sell aqueduct ?

i don't see aqueduct being sold.

[Exceller]

Originally Posted by sumitas

hmmm, interesting how everyone is brainstorming about the nyra tracks.

but you can't just sell aqueduct without providing at least an equal number of additional stalls at belmont. and horses work out at both tracks during the whole year. where are they gonna work out if they sell aqueduct ?

i don't see aqueduct being sold.

There is a ton of space at Belmont if they wanted to build stalls where they currently have baseball fields. As for works, there are like 10 horses that work at aqueduct each day.

[sumitas]

it seems like a july 4th start at the spa would work. school's over for the kiddies and they return after labor day so it seems it would work for the spa to go 7/4 - Labor Day.

the aqueduct belmont thing is a way for the state to have gambling revenue from both venues. be it live racing, simulcasts, or slots.

so i don't see aqueduct being sold because BOTH belmont and A will be, once the slots roll in, providing year round gambling revenue to the state.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by sumitas

hmmm, interesting how everyone is brainstorming about the nyra tracks.

but you can't just sell aqueduct without providing at least an equal number of additional stalls at belmont. and horses work out at both tracks during the whole year. where are they gonna work out if they sell aqueduct ?

i don't see aqueduct being sold.

Idon't see them selling AQ either.
btw...stalls are never empty even before or after the meets at any NY track.
Just because they're not running a card doesn't mean that there aren't horses training at the track.

Originally Posted by Downthestretch55

Idon't see them selling AQ either.
btw...stalls are never empty even before or after the meets at any NY track.
Just because they're not running a card doesn't mean that there aren't horses training at the track.

Dont bother wayne, the Ky guys who have never seen it here or know "minor" details like how teh operations work here have all teh answers.

[Downthestretch55]

Mike,
I won't try to explain. Sumitas is a ny'er. Hope to meet up with him at Toga this summer.
btw...I have read what you've said about "best capper"...didn't want to get into it. you've certainly put out some good ones.
The only question that others need to answer:
Is your wallet fatter at the end of the day, or leaner?
'Nuf said.
DTS

[sumitas]

today's article in bloodhorse gives the lowdown on the bid process. it will start within days.
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34001

gander, you will note that the door is open for extending the Saratoga meet.

[Togacapper]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Do you all make ill-informed and ignorant comments in life or is it just with the anonymity of the internet that you spew garbage like this?

Magna? They pretty much disqualified themselves from contention when Frank Stronach opened his mouth at the first hearing that was held in Saratoga about four months ago when he announced his plans to turn Saratoga Racecourse into a year round entertainment center. The political uproar that resulted from this eliminated him from the running and set a blueprint for what not to say for every other potential bidder.

When you make comments like " NYRA is semi-legit organized crime " what exactly are you referring to?

Great post....Anybody but Stronach.Please No

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by boldruler

Somebody is going to sell aqueduct and make Belmont a track for the winter/spring/fall. Just a question of who sells it.

Bold, I dont doubt this, but I am wondering where you found this information out? I think it would be a good idea, just wasnt aware it was something that was likely to happen.

[sumitas]

it should be very interesting what the groups propose. it's pretty wide open. shortly we will find out who all will bid. they have to submit an intent to bid soon, according to the bloodhorse article that i linked to above.

can you imagine ferris wheels and water slides into the lake in the infield at Saratoga. God have mercy. it would resemble santa anita. yuk.

[sumitas]

"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUOTE from a previous post...
"Now that I don't work for Churchill anymore I can say without it being "Insider trading" that they WILL make a SUBSTANTIAL push for NYRA.....After selling Hollywood CDI became a very Cash heavy company that was not levered enough and desperately needs something to invest its cash into...they can trade "dirt for dirt" and not pay taxes in doing so...they have been holding off paying debt just to have the capital for this type of acquisition (I think you have a year to move the capital before having to pay taxes on the sale), as well as other acquisitions that will spring them into the Internet wagering market (once they get out of their 10-year TVG contract in the next year or two), such as purchasing winticket.com and Beulah Park (because they are owned by the same company)...but the prize would obviously be winticket.com (well, and the Beulah twins..lol)...Beulah's racing operation is obviously not what they are looking for..

Magna has operated in the red for the last few years and are not in the position to make a strong enough push for the New York circuit, especially after the capital exhausted in Pim and Gulf, thus it is all Churchills for the taking IMO and they have a stronger hand than a bankrupt and proven defficient NYRA...The land is state property and very expensive so I just seeing CDI purchasing/leasing the operation of all three tracks...probably couldn't get the New York OTBs as they are substancial moneymakers and probably too expensive....CDI wishes to expand and NYRA would allow them the prestige, deep quality of racing, and market share they are looking for.

Trust me when I say that CDI will be All-In for it..."
MY REPLY...
i am not impressed with the cd renovation. i am not impressed with their paralysis in not moving to a synthetic surface.

the way you describe cd, it's all about cd. that attitude won't get them far. the winning bidder will benefit ny racing and ny state. the winning bidder won't win if their bid is to plunder ny racing and offer no improvments.

so it's not all about cd. they have an uphill battle.

How is that Cunningham?

[blackthroatedwind]

Thus begs the question.....why would you even touch the subject in an internet chat room?