In a little more old news, the NYSGC casino site selection committee voted to reopen bidding for a casino license in the Southern Tier of New York which gives Tioga Downs another chance to get a full casino. The opposing plan for a casino at Traditions has been folded in support of Tioga Downs with Gural apparently agreeing to reimburse some of the Traditions expense should Tioga be successful.
While other bidders may arise, it appears Tioga Downs has a clear shot as the previous awarding of a casino in the Finger Lakes area is far out of the 'true' Southern Tier. Forgetting, whether Tioga Downs is the eventual winner, the Southern Tier is in need of an economic stimulus as was Sullivan County.
In the DRF, Derick Giwner talks about Brett Revington's changes at Pompano Park to make it a more relevant product. Revington, who while at Red Shores Charlottetown was a supporter of HANA Harness' handicapping contests to benefit horse rescue has realized the value of getting Pompano's races on TVG on slow nights which has increased handle by 34%. Why more tracks don't attempt to get their signal on TVG or other racing channels puzzles me. Yes, you can bet the track online and watch the video on your computer, but it is a big stimulus when you put the signal in front of someone's face rather than having them seek it out.
Meanwhile, while Pompano's improvement is not to be ignored, Cal Expo handled over $660,000 this past Sunday evening with 10 races on the card. No doubt, the late start gives them a certain amount of exclusivity but one can wonder how they would do with a better caliber of racing stock. However, even with the $600k+ handles, they suffer like most tracks with the majority of handle coming from off track.
Over in the thoroughbred world, where some think all is lily white, media marketing may end up costing a jockey his career as a photo finish in Texas allegedly shows a jockey with a buzzer in his hand as they cross the finish line at Sam Houston Race Track. The rider claims the battery was photoshopped into the picture. We will see what happen but the camera appears to be all the evidence they need. The jockey is now facing felony charges.
Exchange Wagering? - Did you know NJ is in the process of formalizing the rules for Exchange Wagering? Granted things move slowly in the Garden State when the rules need to be approved by the Office of the Attorney General. I wouldn't quite hold your breath to place your first bet.
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