Racing fans descended on the Spa City this week ahead of the second upstate running of the Belmont Stakes today. After last year’s Test of the Champion in Saratoga Springs, some city officials worried it didn’t have much of an immediate economic impact. Thought, this year, local business owners are optimistic they’ll see a bigger Belmont bump.
The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicked off Wednesday with a full day of racing and a free concert headlined by 90s rock band Gin Blossoms that shut down Broadway.
Last year, racing began on a Thursday, meaning there was one day fewer of heavy tourist traffic downtown.
“Belmont’s a commuter track, you get on the train, you go to Belmont, you go down the stairs, you’re at the track. It’s a lovely track, I grew up there. But, it’s not conducive to people spending day after day and there’s no downtown. So, when they’re used to Belmont they’re used to come-and-go, back to New York City, it’s not the same,” said Doreen Kamen.
Doreen Kamen has been running Common Thread for more than a decade. It’s a yarn and craft store that’s just steps away from the concert stage. She just sold a few spools to some Floridians in town for the races.
Kamen says last June’s Belmont Saturday was her slowest day ever – she just sat at her desk knitting all day without making a sale – though she’s keeping her hopes up for a better turnout this time around.
“I don’t think the people who came for the Belmont are used to the Saratoga experience. People who come up here every year for the track, for August, they’re used to being here. Saratoga is known for the track but not for the Belmont. Belmont Racetrack is not fancy, there’s not even a hotel nearby. So, I don’t think the mindset is there to come up and hang out and spend a long weekend. It just wasn’t the kind of clientele that we’re used to seeing at the real track,” said Kamen.
The Belmont is being run upstate as its home undergoes a nearly half-a-billion-dollar renovation. Belmont Park is set to host the Breeders Cup in 2027, though New York Racing Association officials have not confirmed where the Belmont will be run next year.
The kickoff concert began an hour later than last year, an effort to give local restaurants a second seating.
Ryan Amodeo is the general manager of The Merc, a popular downtown brunch and dinner spot. He says the adjustments to this year’s Belmont celebration are working as intended.
“Last year the business was good, it was obviously a bigger uptick than no track. But this year already we are already seeing a great increase in traffic and adding the extra day at the beginning of the week, I think, was huge, because I think people started traveling earlier, even Monday we saw an increase. So, we’re just fortunate. As far as I’m concerned, it’s been a really good, positive thing for us and has given us even more opportunity to start our summer early,” said Amodeo.
Local watering hole Pint Sized was one of the biggest beneficiaries of a free concert. Owner August Rosa extended his patio onto the sidewalk and welcomed regulars and visitors all night long.
“It was excellent. The event brings in I think, what, over 10,000 people. And we have an interior capacity of 25, so, it’s kind of crazy,” said Rosa.
He’s just finished restocking the fridges with regionally brewed beers. He says sales were up 20 percent at this year’s Belmont on Broadway concert.
“I kind of proactively booked out events this week. The races do go late, which is—we thrive on our daytime business and these patio chairs that we’re sitting on right now. We were more prepared with knowing how it went last year, so it went super smooth, a lot of happy folks,” said Rosa.
Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus says local officials learned a lot from the first upstate Belmont Stakes, and they hope to spur more economic activity throughout Belmont Saturday.
“When people go to the track, and there will be a lot of people at the track on Saturday, they can't—if they go out they can't get back in. So, they're not going to leave until the Belmont Stakes race is run. So, what that means is the downtown and business that are there, they're open. There's reservations available, plenty of space to get in, plenty of free parking on the side streets, right? So there's no reason you shouldn't go downtown," said Shimkus
The Belmont Racing Festival concludes on Sunday. Racing will return to The Spa for a July 4th weekend of racing ahead of opening day of the regular 40-day meet July 10th.
