Post by cait on May 19, 2015 14:08:49 GMT -5
this is going to come down to politics - they were smart in that the former gov, O'Malley was very supportive of MD racing - not very supportive of the idiot stronach - O'Malley sided with the horsemen - if only stronach would sell - he's about to find out that md ain't fla lol yes - pimlico has extreme structural problems BUT - 10 yrs or so ago stronach promised capital improvements he's never made - under his reign, things deteriorated badly and that's what he wanted because he didn't get slots - HE WANTED SLOTS AND DIDN'T GET THEM!! he bought houses cross the street to expand for a casino, then he didn't follow the application process for slots (he's special you know lol) so he hasn't put much into pimlico - not even regular maintenance - well - will give him credit for new track surfaces which are excellent - instead he worked on laurel - but laurel's not exactly a showcase either - hell - he's closed lots of what made laurel special such as the museum - sinatra's clueless and not very bright - ritvo wants the Preakness in fla (not gonna happen!) - these guys are stronach's puppets
he wants laurel to be a venue for other events? lol laurel's in the middle of nowhere - use the casino land and build something suitable for that at pimlico - it's far more accessible - well there may be the problem of the 1 guy who refused to sell - love seeing that now lonely little house!- make the [promised capital improvements and for god's sake, restore the landscaping - it's as if magna has done everything they can to make pimlico look bad
pimlico could be restored but they don't want to spend any $ on it - pimlico should have the restored summer dates but this is part of magna's plan to "prove" pimlico's not viable - stronach has been bad for MD racing since day 1 - because he's an arrogant sob who's can't handle anyone arguing or disagreeing with him - he has put his puppets in charge - and now they're finding out being the errand boys isn't going to be the easy little task in md that it was elsewhere - the idiot hasn't even bothered to look up the laws lol Sinatra's comments are ridiculous - proff he hasn't got a clue - there's a huge hospital just south of pimlico - that's what keeps the neighborhood going - not his little track!
yes - of course i'm biased as I grew up at pimlico - yes - it hurts to see what has happened there under stronach's reign of terror - but it could and should be fixed - it's not hollywood - the neighborhood will undergo revitalization - it's low class and lower middle class, but not the slums - techically it's in the city - but it's not downtown - it's only few miles from the county line - at one time it was a beautiful rich neighborhood with mansions across the street - and directly behind them is still a suburban neighborhood - the "row houses" are on the other side
this will be political - the new gov is going to have to step up to the plate but most think he won't - he's a political novice and doesn't have the needed connections - and balto's mayor? well - she's just not very good and right now, on very thin ice
what will be, will be - but not without a fight from people who actually know and understand the situation - we should preserve history
from today's Balto Sun
Moving Preakness would require change in state law, officials say
By Pamela Wood
Baltimore Sun
As city officials pledged a fight to keep the Preakness in Baltimore, others pointed out Monday that state law prohibits the horse race from being moved to another track in Maryland..
Over the weekend, Sal Sinatra, vice president and general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club, floated the idea of moving the Preakness from Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course to Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County.
But in an interview Monday, Sinatra said he's "fairly confident" he can make enough of a profit at Laurel to keep Pimlico open for at least a spring racing season that would continue to include the Preakness.
I know it would be a hardship on Baltimore if the Preakness and Pimlico were to go away," Sinatra said. "We are one of the few lifelines in that area now."
He said he had no timetable for making a decision, and said he was not aware of a state law restricting a move.
Under a Maryland law passed in 1987, the Preakness can be moved to another track in the state "only as a result of a disaster or emergency." That law, which is part of the state's regulations on businesses, would need to be changed by the Maryland General Assembly to move the high-profile race, according to the state attorney general's office and others.
The language was part of a bill that legalized — among other things — Sunday racing at Pimlico, where the Preakness recently held its 140th running.
During a hearing on the legislation at the time, a state senator asked one of the track's then-owners whether he was OK with the provision preventing a transfer of the Preakness elsewhere in the state. The owner said it would be OK if the amendment allowed for an exception for an unforeseen event, such as a fire, according to Sandy Brantley, an assistant attorney general who advises state lawmakers.
Given the law, the path for moving the Preakness from Baltimore to Laurel Park would have to go through Annapolis, officials said.
"In order to transfer it permanently, you'd have to get some legislative relief," said J. Michael Hopkins, executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission, which regulates the state's racing industry.
The Maryland Racing Commission meets Tuesday at Pimlico, and one of the agenda items is an update from the Maryland Jockey Club.
Gov. Larry Hogan, who is attending a conference in Las Vegas, declined through a spokeswoman to discuss a potential Preakness move.
"The governor believes Preakness is a great 140-year Baltimore tradition, as well as an important economic driver for both the state and Baltimore City," said Hogan's spokeswoman, Erin Montgomery.
Neither House Speaker Michael E. Busch nor Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, the powerful Democratic leaders of the General Assembly, responded to requests for comment Monday.
Baltimore officials, however, were bracing for a fight to keep the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown in the city.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, who represents the Pimlico area, said it's "imperative" that the Preakness stays in Baltimore. She hopes to meet soon with Jockey Club officials to discuss the race's future.
Baltimore City has been good to the Preakness and the Preakness has been good to Baltimore City. … I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way," Spector said.
Howard Libit, a spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, said it would be "inconceivable" to think of holding the Preakness anywhere but in Baltimore.
"The mayor will be reaching out to the owners of Pimlico and meeting with a number of elected officials to discuss the importance of the Preakness to the city," Libit said. "The mayor will continue to work with Pimlico's owners, the business community and elected officials to ensure that this tradition never leaves Baltimore."
Sinatra said keeping the Preakness at Pimlico depends on turning around the finances of the Jockey Club, which is owned by parent company the Stronach Group.
"In recent times, at least the last half-dozen years, we've been losing $3 million, $5 million, $6 million per year. I came on board to make it solvent again," Sinatra said.
The Stronach Group has turned around other tracks and hopes to do the same in Maryland, he said. "The question is: Where does the bulk of the investment go? Is it Laurel, or is it Pimlico?" Sinatra said.
So far, Laurel is in the lead. Laurel already has far more racing days, has a larger property and its main grandstand building is in better shape and newer than Pimlico's. Laurel also has absorbed horse-training operations that used to be at the Bowie Training Center.
Sinatra said his goal is to "build out" Laurel and have the Jockey Club break even or better "so we can keep both places."
Sinatra would like to add other entertainment options to Laurel to lure people to the track for racing and nonracing events.
"You have to use your facility for more than horses running around in circles," he said.
Sinatra said Saturday that he hoped to begin renovations at one of the tracks by June or July.
If the Jockey Club does try to move the Preakness, Sinatra said he isn't too worried about the issue becoming a political battle.
"We're open with the politicians. This isn't something we're doing in the middle of the night. … This will be discussed by all parties — the city, the state, everyone. We're here in Maryland to stay. We're not here to burn any bridges," Sinatra said.
Anne Arundel County would welcome the crowds and financial boon of holding the Preakness at Laurel Park but won't be lobbying for a move, said Owen McEvoy, a spokesman for County Executive Steve Schuh.
"This is something that has been talked about for so many years. Obviously, we'd welcome it, but we want to hear more about it," McEvoy said. "We are taking the wait-and-see approach."
