WE ARE NY HORSE RACING
The state budget will give the New York Racing Association the go-ahead to use a $455 million loan to renovate and upgrade Belmont Park, a move supporters have argued will aid the thoroughbred horse racing industry statewide.
Horsemen, backstretch workers, business leaders, organized labor, and about a dozen or so members of the New York state legislature attended a 30-minute rally Monday at the State Capitol in Albany to support a budget proposal to grant the New York Racing Association a $455 million loan to redevelop Belmont Park.Supporters are hoping the proposal is included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget, which is due to be passed by April 1. Hochul has previously announced her support for the plan, which would create thousands of new jobs and ideally stimulate economic activity in Elmont and surrounding areas.
The executive budget ticks off many boxes in attempting to meet state and regional needs. [...] Hochul's commitment to allow the New York Racing Association to borrow $455 million to remake Belmont Park is an enormous opportunity.
The budget proposal also included a $455 million loan to the New York Racing Association to renovate Belmont Park, winterize the renowned track and make other improvements to allow year-round horse racing there. That could pave the way for the state to potentially repurpose the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens into a new full-fledged casino.
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul will back a plan for the state to loan $455 million to make extensive improvements at Belmont Park — including a new grandstand and clubhouse and new racing surfaces at the venerable horse racing track.
The governor plans to announce the initiative as part of her proposed state budget, set to be unveiled Wednesday afternoon.
“We have these major events that want to come back to New York...they just need a modernized facility that has the hospitality offerings fans expect.” - Jack Sterne, WRNHYR spokesperson
Business and labor groups on Long island are banding together, calling for a major renovation at Belmont Park. WCBS's Steve Burns has more.
This month, labor groups including those representing steamfitters, electricians, carpenters, operating engineers and plumbers backed the project in letters to Hochul, as well as the Long Island Association, the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
A coalition of allied horse racing interests on Monday is set to launch a six-figure ad purchase to promote upgrades at Belmont Park on Long Island.
The ad campaign will highlight the economic effects of the proposed construction, including 740 full-time jobs as well as 3,700 construction jobs. The construction is also estimated by supporters to have a $1 billion economic impact.
Horse Racing: Racing industry leaders pushing for a major overhaul of Belmont Park and are seeking access to $455 million in state-backed bonds to complete the project. Supporters see the project as a way to consolidate downstate racing and end racing at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, where Genting’s Resorts World is expected to apply for full casino license. The push comes as some lawmakers hope to pass a bill limiting subsidies for the racing industry.
A newly published study claims that a new horse racing facility at Belmont Park would be a massive windfall for the state and local governments — as the proposed project would generate $1 billion in economic activity, and lead to the hiring of 3,700 construction workers. After completion, the facility would rake in $155 million annually for the economy, while creating 740 full-time jobs. The state and local governments would get an additional $10 million in new taxes per year, the survey claims.
A coalition of business groups and horse racing industry leaders pushing for a major overhaul of Belmont Park are touting a new analysis showing the project could be a job-generating boon to the local economy. The analysis, conducted by HR&A Advisors on behalf of We Are NY Horse Racing, found the Nassau County project could potentially generate $155 million in annual economic output, support 740 full-time jobs, and produce $10 million in new state and local taxes per year.
According to the rigorous analysis completed by HR&A Advisors, a leading economic development and real estate consulting firm, the multi-year project to build a new Belmont Park will generate $1 billion in one-time construction-related economic impact while supporting 3,700 construction jobs. Upon completion, racing and non-racing activities at the new Belmont Park will generate $155 million in annual economic output, support 740 new full-time jobs, and produce $10 million in new state and local taxes per year.
A coalition of horse racing industry leaders in New York is asking state government to approve borrowing to overhaul Belmont Park on Long Island. They say the improvements there will buoy the racing industry across the state.
Supporters of New York’s horse racing industry gathered at the New York State Capitol on Thursday to call on legislators to approve a plan to rebuild Belmont Park. Renovations would be funded through bonds rather than taxes. New York Racing Association said it would be responsible for paying off the bonds. NYRA still needs approval from state lawmakers to move forward with the plan.
Business and racing industry groups on Thursday urged the state to approve borrowing for $455 million to make extensive improvements at Belmont Park to secure the future of the 120-year-old track for year-round racing “at no cost to taxpayers.”
“Belmont Park would be taken down and started from scratch, a completely new grandstand and clubhouse,” said Jeff Cannizzo, senior director of government affairs at the New York Racing Association.
An effort to strengthen New York's $3 billion horse racing industry is moving forward on Thursday with a coalition of business groups, trade organizations and labor unions ramping up its efforts to aid the sport. The groups, part of the We Are New York Horse Racing campaign, will launch an effort to push for bonding authority for the New York Racing Association in order to renovate Belmont Park in Nassau County, home of the Belmont Stakes and the third and final leg of racing's triple crown. But the organizations are also framing it as a broader call to boost the sport statewide. The coalition is set to include the Business Council of New York State, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and a range of small businesses and non-profit entities.
Today, major organizations from across New York State including the Business Council of New York State and Queens Chamber of Commerce joined We Are New York Horse Racing, a coalition of small businesses, labor unions, nonprofits, and trade associations that advocate for the future of horse racing in New York State.
We Are NY Horse Racing coalition today announced that the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has secured a commitment to bring the Breeders’ Cup World Championship back to New York if Belmont Park on Long Island is modernized. Thoroughbred horse racing’s year-end mega event, the Breeders’ Cup is a two-day spectacle that attracts fans and competitors from around the globe. Due to aging infrastructure at Belmont Park, the World Championships have not been hosted in New York since 2005. Bringing the event back to Belmont would result in an estimated economic impact of at least $100 million each time the event is hosted in New York.
The New York Racing Association is looking to build new horse racing facilities at Belmont Park — and a majority of voters support the idea, according to a new poll.
Global Strategy Group conducted the poll, which asked 1,141 New York State voters about the issue, and found that 51% have “ a favorable opinion of horse racing in New York.”
We Are NY Horse Racing today announced the launch of a new television advertisement to further expand its campaign to educate and inform New Yorkers about the importance of horse racing to the New York State economy. Titled “Community”, the :60 ad presents the stories of the dedicated individuals who are working every day to ensure the continued success of horse racing in New York.
“Helping backstretch families advance their children’s education is critical to our mission,” said NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum. “The King family and others who earn their living on the backstretch are the foundation of the Thoroughbred industry. Watching our scholarship recipients move into a wide variety of careers is nothing short of inspiring.”
"Recent attacks on the sport of horse racing cite several wildly irresponsible claims about equine and jockey injuries that are completely unsupported by facts or reviewable data. This speculation regarding the cause of equine injuries is based on rumor and innuendo and paints an image of a sport where life-altering injuries to jockeys are as commonplace as a sprained ankle. This couldn’t be further from the truth."
We Are NY Horse Racing, a coalition comprised of small businesses, unions, non-profits, and trade organizations, recently launched a campaign video highlighting the economic impact of the sport. The sport of horse racing generates $3 billion in annual economic impact and 19,000 jobs across New York State.