WE ARE NY HORSE RACING
Rally in Albany calls for modernization of
News 12 Long Island, 3/13/23
More than 100 people rallied in the New York State Capitol on Monday in support of legislation to improve Belmont Park.
The supporters included union members, farmers, backstretch workers, small business owners, veterinarians, trainers and others, according to a news release from We Are NY Racing, a coalition that supports the industry.
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.
As a new arena rose at Belmont Park, the grandstand stood in its shadow, a relic of another time and place.
Yet Belmont remains a critical economic engine for the region. The park and backstretch form their own mini-city, housing more than 80 training-related small businesses, employing up to 2,000 people at the busiest times of year, and featuring a health clinic, day care facility, and more. But for Belmont to fully realize its economic potential, for its impact to ripple through the region, the rest of the park — including the tracks and grandstand — must be re-imagined, too.
So, Gov. Kathy Hochul's effort to include a $455 million loan for Belmont's redevelopment in the state budget is a smart wager.
A coalition of horse racing industry groups and business organizations is launching an ad campaign to build support for a proposed renovation at Belmont Park in Queens.
The ad campaign from We Are NY Horse Racing is set to air on digital platforms as well as TV in Albany and New York City for the final six weeks of the state budget season.
The campaign is meant to promote the effort to give borrowing authority to the New York Racing Association in order to support the project. The association wants to build a new grandstand at the facility, home to the final leg of racing's triple crown.
One of the major economic development initiatives in Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget proposal is a $455 million overhaul of Belmont Park on Long Island, which would be facilitated by state-secured loans to the New York Racing Association. NYRA Vice President for Government Affairs Jeff Cannizzo joins the show to explain what the project would entail and why the state has an interest in fostering major changes to the downstate racing scene.
Ice racing at Belmont?
In Assemb. Ed Ra’s vision, a modern Belmont Park would be more than a home to year-round horse racing.
“The greatest thing would be, if this gets done, to get an Islanders-Rangers Winter Classic there on the property, sell out the grandstand, have a great celebration and watch the Islanders beat the Rangers,” Ra said during a state legislative hearing Thursday.
“I couldn’t agree more,” said New York Racing Association chief executive David O’Rourke.
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.
Belmont Park Borrowing
Hochul’s budget proposal also includes support for a major overhaul of Belmont Park.
The governor’s outline includes a plan to allow the New York Racing Association access to $455 million in state-backed bonds to complete the project.
NYRA, which operates racetracks at Belmont, Aqueduct, and Saratoga, is looking to use the funds to replace the 430-acre facility’s grandstand and clubhouse, which have not been renovated since 1968. Belmont Park is located in Elmont, along the border between Queens and Nassau County.
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.