2002 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA
Executive Newsletter
A daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyond
Stanley F. Bergstein, Editor
NEW SPORTS AUTHORITY BOSS
The new governor of New Jersey, James E.
McGreevey, has appointed a new head of the New
Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. His
choice is financier George Zoffinger, and both
Zoffinger and the governor apparently plan drastic
shakeups. The governor said, “We will fundamentally
change the way the New Jersey Sports
and Exposition Authority does business,” and the
new appointee, promised to “clean house” at the
NJSEA. How far that cleaning goes remains to
be seen, but Zoffinger said, “I don’t have a list
yet, but there has to be a list,” speaking of the
number of executives he plans to lay off in his
shakeup. The Newark Star Ledger noted that
“both Continental Airlines Arena and Giants Stadium
were among the top grossing sports facilities
in the nation last year, and the Meadowlands
Racetrack remains the top harness track in the
world.” Zoffinger was New Jersey’s commerce
commissioner under former governor Jim Florio.
He said the state would have to seriously consider
bringing VLTs to New Jersey’s tracks if New
York moves forward with VLTs at tracks there.
All counties that needed to sign off on that plan
in New York now have done so, clearing the way
for Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Saratoga
Equine Sports Center, Monticello Raceway and
Yonkers Raceway to install VLTs once litigation
is over.
NOT QUITE ACCURATE
A story on today’s Thoroughbred Times.com concerning
an HTA study at the University of Arizona
showing that racing is a bargain compared
to major league sports was not quite accurate.
The study was initiated by HTA as a joint HTA-
TRA project, not on behalf of the Thoroughbred
Racing Associations, and was supervised
by HTA counsel Paul Estok. Student Pam
White did the research, with thoroughbred
data provided by Tony DiMarco of
TRA.
February 15, 2002
CONGRESS BEGINS TUESDAY
The third Harness Racing Congress, organized
by Harness Tracks of America and the United
States Trotting Association in cooperation with
the United States Harness Writers Association,
gets underway at the Mirage in Las Vegas on
Tuesday. Registration starts Monday, and 13
harness racing organizations will take part. In
addition to HTA, USTA and USHWA, those participating
are the Association of Racing Commissioners
International, Canadian Pari-Mutuel
Agency, the Hambletonian Society/Breeders
Crown, Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Harness
Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, North
American Harness Publicists Association, Racetracks
of Canada, Societe Nationale du Cheval
de Course, Standardbred Canada, and Standardbred
Investigative Services.
Individual group board meetings are scheduled
for Tuesday, with general sessions Wednesday and
Thursday. More than 20 presentations are scheduled,
and speakers include Jim McAlpine, president
and CEO of Magna Entertainment; John
Long, president of Churchill Downs Management
and executive VP and COO of Churchill Downs;
J. Terrence Lanni, chairman and CEO, MGM/
Mirage, and a director of Santa Anita and Del
Mar; Lonny Powell, president of the Association
of Racing Commissioners International;
Alan Foreman, chairman/CEO of the Thoroughbred
Horsemen’s Association; James Hickey,
president of the American Horse Council; U.S.
Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island; Hector
Clouthier, special adviser to Prime Minister
Jean Chretien of Canada; and Tom Aronson, senior
VP International of TVG. The Congress concludes
Thursday with the Night of Stars, honoring
the owners of the champion harness horses
of 2001. More than 400 reservations have
been received and owners from as far as
Rome, Italy, will be on hand.