Online Casinos Directory

It has been a long time since race tracks have been doing the numbers they did pre-recession. It is no secret that gambling is a huge business but when the recession first began, race track owners and operators were struck down by a difficult blow. They had few ways of combating the down market and their revenue streams diminished quickly. A lot of race track owners have been debating what their options are. Some cut back on their racing schedules considerably. The problem with this issue is that it also cut down on their revenues. Other race track owners had to file for bankruptcy and exit the market altogether. Overall it has been a trial for race track owners to find ways of managing throughout the recession. They have now come to the point where they have to think of creative ways of reinvigorating themselves.

The main way that people are considering changing the racing market is via slots. For example, Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack in the Philadelphia area is another location looking at how slot machine gambling is bringing change. The casino reported a twelve percent increase in revenue this past month and of that, a good portion can be attributed to the changes in slots gambling. The increase of gaming is something that companies all over are striving for. It is taking a lot more time to turn things around than anticipated. So what are companies going to continue to do? They are going to push for more slots and more rules that allow slots gaming to take over. Harrah’s Chester Casino operators know that this is the one thing that can considerably turn their casino’s numbers and around. The numbers are proving that things are changing. Slots gaming is lucrative for every market and they are creating more specials around the games. That is bringing in more wagerers for various races and making it more fun for them to stay at race tracks. Overall this is one of the best plans for changing things around and in the future expect to see more casinos using slots as a way to build up their own markets.

Finamore said, “We won! To win is the important thing, and to win by a wider margin than we lost last time speaks to a lot of things — the campaign we ran, the needs, the revenues we’ll produce. … It’s a great outcome.” GM of the racino Al Britton said that the differences this time were the strong desire to change the market around for th egood. He said, “Now we roll the sleeves up. We start the work recruiting and training and getting the facility ready to accept the games. We’ve got our work cut out for us, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Regarding those against the gambling, the argument was that addictions would run rampant throughout the community if slot machines were brought into the fray. They also claime that the new jobs promised would “probably not be as many” and would be “low paying” jobs. The economy however is creating people with a “something is better than nothing” attitude. Finamore added, “People want jobs and if it turns out that instead of 500 jobs, we only create 450, they’ll be happy. That’s 450 families that are going to have an easier time of their bills.”

While many voters have changed positions since 2007 because of a new revenue-distribution formula that benefits local governments and schools, a Vote No group complains the track and the state still get too much money. They say residents face the threat of higher taxes for law enforcement, emergency services, road construction “and social services to address the needs of the many new low-wage workers brought in to fill positions.” They are claiming that the state is ill prepared to handle the door it just opened.

The unemployment rate in the state is more than 6% and the bottom line is that people need help– any help. Almost no one is willing to stand idly by and let the economy fix itself by itself. Rather, people are wanting to be proactive. If voting to bring slot machines to the state is what turns the economy around, then most people are ready to do it.  The big concerns about ethics and addictions are going to be addressed slowly. For now, the new racino owners are ecstatic.

This past week an initiative to allow 5,000 slot machines into the Charles Town Races and Slots facility, in Charles Town, West Virginia, passed. Voters came together to agree and let the slots build up the casino. The main impetus for the positive votes was the proposed job creation of 500 various employment opportunities and the positive effects that has on the community as a whole.

When polls closed track officials were overjoyed to announce the victory. The vote for the slot machines was 6,279 to 4,343. It’s interesting that the decision was not split down the middle as it has been with many other votes throughout the country. It’s not uncommon to have a 51/49% vote on the issue of slots. Many other states are looking to bring slot machines in to increase revenue-generating activities within the state. It’s one of the most lucrative ways state legislators have of funding improvements, education and any other budget issue that lacks funding due to the recession and its aftermath.

John Finamore, Senior VP of Charles Town Races and Slots, said, “We are thrilled. We are relieved. And come Monday, we are going to start delivering on our promises. I can’t wait to start filling those $45,000 jobs we promised.”  In terms of voting, both sides of the slots issue campaigned hard for people to come out and voice their opinion. Their campaigning worked as 33,000 registered voters were reached via their extensive advertising plan. Voters were inundated with the issue via billboards, radio advertising, TV advertising, Facebook, personal phone calls and newspaper ads.  The issue was such a hefty one that huge budgets were used to bring the two opinions to the public. Spokespeople and city officials hashed it out in the public prior to the vote.

It was just two years ago that a vote was cast where voters decided against the slot machine addition. They were not in favor of bringing the change to the racetrack. Industry experts are citing the change in the economy as a major motivator for people to want slot machines to be used in the market. Plus, those for the issue were promoting job creation hard to the masses.

Part two coming next.

The Wynn Resorts recently pulled their bid for a New York casino at Aqueduct.  New York Governor David Patterson was pushing heavily for the deal to go through for the Aqueduct Racetrack. Thus far the racetrack has been struggling due to the economy and the state was pining to install a slots parlor that houses 4,500 slot machines in the facility.  The recession has brought many race tracks around the country to their knees in terms of funding. They are somewhat a “dying breed” because customers aren’t gambling at them. The biggest problem is that customers aren’t visiting them at all. Many cities are hoping that installing huge slots parlors maybe the answer to their financial woes and New York was no different.

The Wynn Resorts were one of six different developers that has formerly submitted bids to work with the Aqueduct Racetrack. Each one was looking to bring the 4,500 machines to the track and cash in on the revenues.  Unfortunately the Wynn rethought its position and walked away from the bidding process. In a statement the Wynn released it noted, “We are confident that the state of New York will find a qualified operator to meet its needs at Aqueduct. We would like to thank our associates and community leaders for all their assistance in crafting our proposal.” They wished the state and the racetrack well and withdrew from competition for the bid.

Without Wynn, there will now be only five proposals on the table to be reviewed. The five developers have been notified to submit their final proposals. They were also informed that they should be prepared to ante up the $200 million licensing fee within thirty days of signing an agreement. With the recession’s aftermath still stinging, New York is hoping to ensure that companies that are now bidding on the project will have the financial strength to compete any project that they are starting to work on.  The $200 million licensing fee is hoped to thwart any moderately serious bidders from entering the competition.  The city wants the racetrack to be successful and hopes that a hefty slots parlor will be the answer to spurring traffic and revenue for the state budget and the facility.

When it comes to horse racing the Breeders’ Cup is the biggest event and the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner will take home horse racing’s biggest single race payout of $5 million. That money, however, will pale in comparison to the amount of money gamblers will be spending throughout the day. The Breeder’s Cup is known for bringing together some of the highest rollers in the industry. This is because it consistently manages to bring in top horses from the year for some of the biggest races of the year. In addition to the top horses, the Breeders’ Cup will also attract some of the biggest gamblers in the world. The early races will lead up to the Classic, a race in which millions of dollars will be involved.

The Breeder’s Cup World Championships is a yearly series of Grade 1 thoroughbred horse racing. The company that sponsors the event, Breeders’ Cup Limited, has seen a huge growth in their promotion. It began in 1982 as a one-day event and has since been expanded to two full days of racing. The event was created as a championship for North America thoroughbred racing and attracts the best horses from all other part of the world. Normally the Breeders’ Cup ranks fifth in attendance and comes behind the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks in popularity.
This year, the Classic features one of the top female horses of all time. Zenyatta has been given the title of race favorite by odds makers. The horse is currently a 5-2 favorite. She will run out of the fourth position, and her jockey will be Mike Smith. The second choice is Rip Van Winkle and he is at 7-2. Summer Bird, along with jockey Kent Desormeaux, is the third choice at 9-2. The long shot in the group is Awesome Gem at 30-1. There are a total of thirteen horses running in the race and it should prove to be an exciting race this year.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a race that is for three year old horses and up. The length of the race is one and a quarter miles. Although the general public focuses on the big three races in the spring, it is the Breeders’ Cup that trainers and owners look forward to each year. The Breeders’ Cup Classic has a bigger pay day for the winner than The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, or The Belmont Stakes.