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, EditorWednesday, November 17, 2010HANSON BID “UNACCEPTABLE”Jon Hanson’s latest proposal for harnessracing to be held only six days duringHambletonian week at the Meadowlandsand another 30 at Monmouth Park in2011 has been called “unacceptable” bythe president of the harness horsemen ofNew Jersey. Tom Luchento, respondingto a supplemental recommendation byHanson to his earlier commission report,issued a release of his own, saying, “Suggestingthat we can race 30 days at MonmouthPark is unacceptable. We raced141 days this year. You cannot expect ourdrivers, trainers and breeding industry tosurvive on 30 days of racing. You cannotask us to give up the Meadowlands, thepremier harness track in North America.”Luchento said harness racing was “beingblind sided,” adding that “Jon Hanson isa real estate developer which seems to behis only concern, developing the propertyon which the Meadowlands sits. The planhe issued in July did not pass muster withthe legislators and the public. The peopleof New Jersey support racing and gaming.Instead of finding ways to cut us out,the state should be making it more attractivefor us to stay. Some of our majorbreeding farms are already making plansto move their stallions to states that havepurse money fueled by slots.” Luchentolaid the blame for money losses at theSports Complex on ill-advised ordersreceived from “a succession of governors”that were money losers.He said his SBOANJ has been workingwith legislators to put together a packageof bills that will make it possible for racingto be self-supporting by 2013, and accusedthe Hanson report of ignoring theplans and the efforts of New Jersey legislatorsin both bodies who support them.He said “failing to do so will open a can ofworms including legal action.”NY TO OK CATSKILL CASINO?The New York Times and other newssources reported this morning that Gov.David Paterson plans to approve an Indian-ownedcasino development projectin the Catskill town of Thompson in thenear future. The pending state okay issaid to be with the Stockbridge-Munsees,a Mohican tribe with roots in New Yorkstate that now is based in Wisconsin. Ithas been thought that negotiations wouldfavor the Shinnecock tribe on Long Island,recently granted long-sought federalrecognition. Surprise was registeredbecause of criticism the state had receivedfor its secret dealings in the ultimatelyrejected award of the Aqueduct racinocontract to the Aqueduct EntertainmentGroup. Some officials said in view of thatrepudiation it was expected that the Patersonregime, nearing the end of its run inAlbany, would have avoided a repetitionand opted for transparency. Table games,meanwhile, have been stalled at SaratogaRaceway, and will be in coming months atYonkers Raceway, Vernon and TiogaDowns, and Monticello Raceway.