By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-918468.mp3
Saratoga Springs, NY – The economic impact of the Aqueduct racino will be felt as far north as Saratoga... Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas explains.
Saratoga Supervisor Joanne Yepsen breathed a sigh of relief that after nine years, the construction and installation of a racino at Aqueduct racetrack in Queens has been approved by Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Conference Leader John Sampson. Yepsen was joined by Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson and Senator Eric Adams outside the Adirondack Trust Bank on Broadway.
That 45-hundred VLT facility, to be built by the Malaysian-based Genting company in its first U.S. venture, is expected to generate more than 650 million dollars in gross gaming revenues annually. Some of that money is earmarked to boost purses at Saratoga, make long overdue improvements at the track, and most of all, help NYRA shake off its money woes. Adams chairs the Senate Racing Committee. Next on Senator Adams' agenda: OTB. Adams says he won't rule out NYRA's taking over OTB. There's also been talk about building another racino at Belmont.