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#1
12-02-2007, 10:33 AM
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Go To Prairie Meadows Before It's Too Late
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42265
Racing Operations Results at Prairie Meadows for 2006 -Revenue: $ 4.6 Million -Expenses: $33.8 Million -Net: ($29.2 Million ) loss They need to have racing to run the slot shop, but how much and for how long? From the article: "By law, we’re required to support a viable racing program if we’re going to have a casino,” board member Ron Morden said. “It doesn't get specific, so the job of this board is to balance the necessity of providing that program with the necessity of providing community betterment. And that’s always a judgment call.” Fat lady ain't started singing yet, but she's in the building. 
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#2
12-02-2007, 12:07 PM
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Prairie Meadows is a really nice CASINO. But I noticed they don't put much effort into the horse racing aspect there. They have a nice (and large enough) simulcasting area upstairs, but for live racing, there doesn't seem like much seating inside or out.
Someone can feel free to correct me on this, but the 2 times I was there, it seemed like they had a small 3-tier strip of indoor seating for live racing (tables I mean). And outside, there's no bleachers or mass-seating right? It's just some benches... I will say that the casino is nice and clean and all of that, and IT IS BUSY. Both times I was there, it was poppin off. And no offense to the Iowa contingent on this site, but Des Moines doesn't seem to have much to offer from a leisure standpoint. So I bet eventhough racing losses were that big, I bet the casino still made a butt-load of $$$$. I think as far as their racing dates and times go, they're pretty good. Like Canterbury, they run in the summer when it's warm enough. Usually Derby day-Labor day or a little after, and they run at night. They run at night, so they can get the simulcast feed to more locations, and they're not butting heads with the big-dogs (NY, KY, Cali, etc.) that run during the day. But putting in more seating for live racing, and maybe adding a turf course (they have a full mile oval there, so there is room for it) might help them.
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Facebook- Peter May Jr. Twitter- @pmayjr You wouldn't be ballin' if your name was Spauldin' If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased...
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#3
12-02-2007, 06:22 PM
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Another example of how slot revenue is not the golden goose it is heralded as, in terms of racing. There has to be a balance of slot revenue addition being put back into the product, the facilities, the purses, and the community. It is the only way to make a profitable AND desirable outfit. You can't just get the slots legislated, and magically expect the racing to improve. Takes time and creativity. PS Pete, hit some tri's last night at THE MOUNTAIN. Little simulcasting from the local greyhound track 
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"Boston fans hate the Yankees, we hate the Canadiens and we hate the Lakers. It's in our DNA. It just is." - Bill Simmons
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#4
12-02-2007, 10:07 PM
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Quote:
__________________
"Boston fans hate the Yankees, we hate the Canadiens and we hate the Lakers. It's in our DNA. It just is." - Bill Simmons
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#5
12-03-2007, 10:26 AM
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I have spent many of my college days at Prairie Meadows....I love it there for simulcasting, its never very busy and I just go to on of the dining tables or a love seat in the clubhouse and have my own personal 25' flat scren TV.....most people stay in the simulcasting area and don't venture into the cludhouse tables during the dark days......some of my best memories of college are playing Tampa Bay on tuesdays and having the pretty much the whole place to myself.
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#6
12-03-2007, 10:44 AM
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A problem with Iowa is they don't have OTB's, along with that most of the casions don't have simulcast...I went to a indian casion that had a very small area for it but most don't have them or if they don't its nothing special...hard to get people interested in betting in Iowa with no OTB's.
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#7
12-03-2007, 10:27 PM
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I'm not sure how Charles Town is doing in regards to racing revenues, but even with the increased purses it doesn't seem like they're catering at all to their horse fans. I was there for the 1st time in about a year and half on saturday, and the only thing that has changed is that the racing portion of the track is getting smaller while the slot parlors are getting bigger. Less tellers and a hell of a lot more machines. There is zero way of getting into the track unless you cross the slot parlors some where. You have to go into the slot parlor for any sort of decent food.... the racing industry is getting fueled by slot money, but they're looking at the racing fan like he's a shmuck. I also over heard an employee talking about Charles Town will be simulcasting Australia on christmas day in order to keep the slots a run'n.
I just think once you make that jump to the slots then management sole purpose is to have people pump those machines and the only way they can is if the horses are running. Interested to see when MD gets there.... as if they needed more crime -bt-
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#8
12-03-2007, 10:35 PM
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I'm confused.....they paid $18 million in purses and lost $29 million? I realize I'm a complete phucking moron but somebody's fudging some serious numbers here to fool somebody into changing the rules for running a casino.
Thank God NYRA is keeping the franchise.....and it isn't being taken over by some slot person posing as a wannabee racetrack entrepreneur. Just imagine the lies they could tell here.
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#9
12-03-2007, 10:41 PM
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#10
12-03-2007, 10:45 PM
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I can only hope to imagine the expenses they are claiming are " racing expenses. " The whole story is a complete and utter fabrication in an attempt to coerce the government into allowing them to pretty much ( and eventually totally ) eliminate racing and the carrot they offer is revenue from slots.
Thank God the governments keep us safe from crack cocaine and prostitution and allow us to play slot machines and the lottery. Soon slots will keep citizens safe from the evils of wagering on horse racing.
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#11
12-04-2007, 06:17 AM
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The original article from the Des Moines paper was slightly more informative:
Does that mean if there was no horse racing that there would be $29 million more for charity? Not precisely. The costs include some expenses that would remain if Prairie Meadows were a casino only. For instance, $4.2 million of Prairie Meadows' $15.6 million lease was allocated to racing, as were a share of other departments' salaries and expenses that deal with both the casino and racing. The figure also includes $1.2 million for depreciation. "This is arbitrary, it's not scientific," Ann Long-Richards, Prairie Meadows' vice president of finance, told the board. http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb...0405/-1/LIFE04
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