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
PHONE BETS BY FALL IN NJ
That’s the hope of Bruce Garland, senior VP /racing
of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority,
following last week’s resolution of date and
purse disputes in the Garden State. Telephone
account wagering will be run by the Authority, and
Garland says the goal is to be up and running for
the Breeders’ Cup Oct. 26, or earlier if possible.
Off-track betting, whose future also was cleared
by the settlement, will take a bit longer, with the
first of a possible 15 parlors not likely to open before
late in 2003. Garland said that projections
for the future when all the parlors are in place --
perhaps as long as five to seven years down the
road -- estimate total revenue for the sports authority
as high as $10 million a year, offsetting ontrack
attendance declines expected in the wake of
the introduction of phone and OTB betting.
Extremely encouraging in the formal announcements
of the settlement last week at Monmouth
Park were words from New Jersey governor James
E. McGreevey and Sports Authority president
George Zoffinger. McGreevey said, “We need to
understand that racing not only has quality of life
values, but is indeed an economic engine for the
state of New Jersey. I, as governor, am strongly
and irrevocably committed to making racing work
and work well in the state of New Jersey.”
McGreevey also called Monmouth Park “one of
this state’s precious resources.” His remarks
would seem to dispel earlier concerns about privatizing
of Monmouth and the Meadowlands, the
nation’s largest harness track. Zoffinger, who made
the settlement of the thoroughbred-harness impasse
a priority of his new administration and
played a major role in it, was equally positive in
his remarks at the press conference, noting that
the agreement protects harness racing,
which he called the “core business” of the
Authority.
April 22, 2002
Under the 3-year agreement, thoroughbreds will
race 141 programs each year, split between
Monmouth and the Meadowlands, but the 2003
Meadowlands’running meet will end Nov. 8, enabling
the track to host Breeders Crown events.
ANOTHER WIN FOR USTA
After more than eight years of litigation and one
appeals court victory after another, the United
States Trotting Association has prevailed again in
its defense of banning bent shaft sulkies. In what
could be the final round of court action, a Franklin
county, Ohio, common pleas judge has granted the
USTA’s motion for summary judgment in Nassau
Turf Equipment vs. USTA, saying “it is clear that
Nassau is unable to maintain a claim for tortious
interference against defendant as defendant’s conduct
was privileged.”
IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The provincial government of Quebec has agreed
to another six-month, $11.8 million aid package to
supplement purses at QUEBEC’S FOUR
TRACKS between April 1 and September
30.....Chicago harness racing’s DAVE MAGEE
became the fifth North American driver to win
9,000 races, joining Herve Filion, Walter Case Jr.,
Catello Manzi and Mike Lachance in that charmed
circle......JOHN WALZAK, a faculty member at
the University of Arizona’s Race track Industry
Program for the last seven years and associate
coordinator of the program, is leaving and returning
to Ontario, where he will become Chief Operating
Officer of the Ontario Harness Horseman’s
Association. He is scheduled to take over his new
post in June and HTA, which has worked closely
and rewardingly with John over the years, wishes
him and his wife Susan all the best.....Fueled by
racing and gaming revenue increases of $4.5 million,
NORTHLAND PARK’S total revenues
for 2001 were up $6.8 million and earnings
increased $1.8 million.