Question for TGJB about Gulfstream

[NoCarolinaTony]

Jerry,

Now that you\'ve been there to see the Taj Mahal itself, what is your assessment of the facility? I have heard it\'s really designed more for the day when the slots arrive more like a racino than a race track. The one large simulcast area is set up almost Vegas Style sports book but without the Huge mega screen. My friend that was there on  Saturday, was not impressed, and with the size of the crowd was more uncomfortable. Betting was challenged with language barrier issues.

Your thoughts about this Magna gift to racing?

NC Tony

[TGJB]

Tony-- I feel strongly both ways.

On Saturday we sat in the Ten Palms dining room, open for the first time that day, and once they get the kinks out (2 hours after ordering for the food to hit the table) it will be one of the best places anywhere to spend a day at the races. It\'s a very nice setup, with a great view-- much lower elevation than the one at Belmont, more like if a smaller dining room was set at the second floor of that facility. And the walls-- and bar area-- have lots of bigger than usual TVs with the simulcast tracks.

Most of the ractrack is devoted to a huge race book/simulcast facility, at ground level beneathneath the grandstand, and they did a great job with that as well.

Having said that:

1-- The new parimutuel ticket machines they use are friggin horrible, and the tellers hate them. They spit out the tickets laterally, but not hard enough to completely clear the machine, and what they slide onto is at the same height as where they come out-- they have no place to go, and absolutely have to jam. If you play a lot of $1 tickets, the teller has to keep reaching in to clear them and slide them over manually. Sure enough, late in the day I jammed one of them.

2-- The racetracks that are success stories today in terms of attendance, as opposed to off site handle (Del Mar and Saratoga), are ones that take advantage of nice weather and good racing, and the fans come in droves TO SIT OUTSIDE. Gulfstream has both the weather and the racing, and only 900 outside seats. It makes absolutely no sense. If you have a computer and a phone account, there is nothing you can do at the racebook you can\'t do at home.

3-- In the what-were-they-thinking category-- they have a very big screen set up on the front of the building, facing the parking lot. I guess they want to make sure you can sit in your car with your cell phone, watch the races, and bet through your rebate account.

I\'m going down again this weekend for the Donn, I might have further thoughts next week.

[miff]

I think Jerry is being politic for business reasons, which is understandable.One of the great advantages of any venue which enjoys good weather, in winter, is to flaunt it.The incompetent management at GP has taken the game indoors, completely contrary to what 99% of all people frequenting GP would probably prefer.

Most of the people I know loved to browse around outside the groudfloor clubhouse area and check out the horses and the sun or sit upstairs and watch thru binocs. It\'s mainly gone!This goes go the heart of Magna\'s misguided ideas/business model and overall lack of knowledge of what most true racing fans prefer.

It\'s true that the restaurant areas will be great  but the incompetents at Magna could have had the best of both worlds if they had a clue.With slots coming to South Florida, GP was in position to offer a world class winter meet, as it was years ago.

The fact that MAGNA is financially bleeding big time may be a saving grace for New York Racing. A lawyer friend that is close to that situation believes that there is possibly 5 years of litigation on the horizon if all parties do not get together.

[mikemd]

was there on saturday.  i actually liked it quite a bit.  i thought their interpretation of the paddock was nice.  it is important to remember that the plant is not complete yet.  when it is done, it might surplant arlington as my favorite \"modern\" track.