HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorTuesday, September 28, 2010NY HAS THE MONEY; NOW DIGWhether it was a ceremonial check or thereal thing hardly matters. Genting Malaysiaauthorized its New York affiliate topay its $380 million upfront money for theAqueduct racino yesterday to New YorkState, generating front page stories allover the Empire State and beyond. Nowcomes the hard part: building the racinoquickly enough to open it, as promised,next spring. Either way, the New YorkRacing Association was celebrating, andso was New York City, whose debt to NewYork’s tracks reportedly could be coveredby Genting. Another celebrant was thepresident of Genting, who sold 900,000shares of his stock. Given environmentalstudies that normally take at least amonth, an immediate construction startis not likely, meaning Genting will have toscuffle to meet its spring partial opening.According to Matt Hegarty’s story inDaily Racing Form, Genting plans to reconfigurethe Aqueduct grandstand, witha ticket price of $1.3 billion.EVANS SYMPOSIUM KEYNOTERThe University of Arizona Race TrackIndustry Program’s Symposium on Racingand Gaming, which includes the HarnessTracks of America annual meetingin its Dec. 6-9 format this year, will haveChurchill Downs CEO Robert Evans askeynote speaker. The conference willagain take place at the Westin LaPaloma near HTA’s office.$8 MILLION BIRTHDAY PARTYThat’s the ticket hung on Harrah’s casinoin Atlantic City by a New Jersey judgefor 80,000 holders of birthday certificatesthat neglected to mention they couldn’tbe used until after 8 a.m. of the holder’sbirthday. When one Debra Smerlingtried to cash hers at the casino at 12:30a.m. of her birthday, Harrah’s told hershe would have to wait. Ms. Smerling,impatient, filed a class action suit, and thejudge agreed, ordering Harrah’s to payall of its Total Rewards members who redeemedtheir $15 coupons an extra $100under New Jersey’s Truth in ConsumerContract Warranty and Notice Act. Thecoupons did not disclose they could not becashed until 8 a.m., although they did saythat’s when casino business hours began.Harrah’s will appeal. Myfoxphilly.comsays another 270,000 Total Reward memberswho did not redeem coupons willreceive notices of the class action lawsuitand can join a separate lawsuit againstHarrah’s if they choose.CAMPBELL, PECK SPEAK UPDriver John Campbell and trainer GregPeck, two of the most successful horsemenin the sport, stirred the troops at an educationalsymposium on New Jersey racingyesterday at Perretti Farms in CreamRidge. Campbell called for expansion ofOTB and upgrading of the Meadowlands,and Peck contended a ban on slots at thetrack ran counter to the wishes ofNew Jersey voters and bettors.