NYRA Hints to Close Waterway Racecourse
After years of world-class racing, Aquaduct Racecourse operations could end. In a recent interview, Mark Holliday, president of the New York Racing Authority, hinted that the facility in Queens may be closed after long-awaited renovations at Belmont Park are completed. Once the renovation is complete, the track can host a winter race.
Through a 2008 agreement, Empire State fully acquired Aqueduct Racecourse and Belmont Park, granting the NYRA a 25-year racing license. Now, after years of exciting horse racing, the Queens facility can be forgotten. However, this decision is far from being made and will require further clarification from the organization.
In an interview on June 20, 2022, Mr. Holliday said that the water bridge racetrack may eventually be closed once the renovation of Belmont Park is completed. But it remains to be seen whether that will be the case as the state legislature rejects the NYRA’s plan to pass the $450 million bond law to fund the modernization of Belmont Park.
Mr Holliday has expressed disappointment that the bond-buying effort has been rejected, but he is optimistic that bond-buying will gain momentum in Albany next year. It also said that if this happens, it could be a review of the future of Queens’ capital city racetrack. This is because the race operation has the potential to bring tremendous value to the state government, as it does not disturb the two state-run racetracks.
Previously, the NYRA had already shared some ideas to close the Queens track and move the six-month race to the renovated Belmont Park. Over the past few years, however, Aquaduct has become a hotspot for horse racing bettors, as spectators at club houses vary between hundreds and thousands every day during the cold winter.
But if the association decides to close the 190-acre site in the middle of the South Ocean, it will require numerous approvals and permits. Under current state law, racing continues on the site while the casino is in operation, and changes are required for the NYRA to successfully transfer the race to Belmont Park.
And for the association to move its season to Belmont Park, it must upgrade its tracks with accommodation for gamblers and horses for the entire year. And speaking of upgrading the Elmont track, the New York City Race Track Rev. of the United States organized a groundbreaking ceremony for the multipurpose center in March, and will be located inside gate six.
The NYRA also recently released its 2021 financial statements. According to the report, the association recovered well financially from unprecedented events in 2020. As fans returned to the track, the association raised a record $815.5 million in 2021. It broke the record of $705.3 million set in 2019.
BY: 토토사이트 추천