lt1
Moderator 
Posts: 824
|
Post by lt1 on Jun 4, 2015 14:47:00 GMT -5
Watching the Mike Francesa show and he just stated that NYRA has announced that people taking the LIRR must be prepared to wait up to 2 hrs to get a train. He had to laugh. He's doing his show at Belmont tomorrow and will have Chris Kay on. Can't wait to hear this interview.
|
|
lt1
Moderator
Posts: 824
|
Post by lt1 on Jun 4, 2015 14:55:52 GMT -5
Just went to the NYRA web site and sure enough the LIRR is saying even though they have made major improvements and will be using 2 tracks instead of the usual 1 the fans may encountered up to 2hrs waiting time.
|
|
cait
Active Member
Posts: 3,821 
|
Post by cait on Jun 4, 2015 15:15:00 GMT -5
must be part of the "enhanced experience" - patience is such a ny trait - not!! pimlico gets a lot of criticism but they had a record 124,000 this year - 34,000 more than Belmont will have - it's a lot smaller too - but tho' it was heavy, traffic moved, buses moved and no one faced dangerous situations such as occurred at the LIRR Belmont station last year (did they ever fix those old wooden, rickety steps?) - wonder if paid parking passes will be honored at this year's Belmont? it's really sad to see what kay and this nyra have done - limiting the attendance to 90,000 is ridiculous - not having the brains to have a plan for crowd movement even more riciulous - i really think the theory Cuomo wants ny racing to have bad stats is true - and kay hasn't got a clue re horseracing - geesh - next year limit to 20,000 - maybe they can handle that lol
|
|
lt1
Moderator
Posts: 824
|
Post by lt1 on Jun 4, 2015 17:20:54 GMT -5
It's just mind blowing that none of these organizations can handle a crowd. The LIRR claims they have upgraded the station and the way the have the standby trains lined up. A few weeks ago Francesa had a NYRA exec on and asked why the reduction to 90k. One reason was the building is old and some areas not capable of holding crowds safely. Well if that's the case why the hell didn't they fix the problem. They had a whole yr to do so. Maybe we should run an over under pool to see how long it will take to get of the parking lots this year. I just heard they are charging $15 for grandstand admission tomorrow. What the hell for to see a 2 mile race. Just another fan oriented goodie. Don't know how we ever survived without it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 18:02:26 GMT -5
When did NYRA buy the Long Island Railroad, or at least take over their operations?
Why don't you people just enjoy the races instead of poring over the internet and media to find negative things to say about New York racing? Do you know how long it took people to leave the vicinity of Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day or Pimlico on Preakness Day?
Next thing we know NYRA will be blamed for a murder taking place in Jersey City 12 hours after the Belmont Stakes!
Oh, one other thing, did American Pharoah get scratched yet?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 19:50:56 GMT -5
By the way, there is more than a 2 mile stakes race tomorrow - there are five stakes races (not that I agree with that but it's what major racetracks do these days)
For comparison, Churchill Downs charges $35 for general admission the Friday before their big race and $55 on Saturday, Pimlico charges only $10 for Friday but $25 on Saturday (which doesn't give you access to the building, only the cramped infield drunk-fest)
Belmont charges $15 for each day.
Churchill Downs $90 for both days, Pimlico $35 for both days, and Belmont $30 for both days.
So what's the problem with that other than it's big bad NYRA?
|
|
|
|
Post by byanose13 on Jun 4, 2015 20:20:35 GMT -5
It took me 1 1/2 hrs to leave CD(right after the Derby) get to my car 3 blocks away and drive about 40 miles to my home, if you parked at the Fair and Expo center and took the TARC bus or parked at Papa John's stadium(about 3 blocks from CD) you could get out of there and on the road in as little as 15 minutes about 20-30 if you took TARC and parked at Fair and expo center.
I do agree that the admission is steep but they still pack over 100,000 in the place and have NOWHERE near the trouble that Belmont Park seems to have with the crowds and CD is not in the best location for traffic.
That 1 1/2 hrs included stopping at drive-thru(White Castle!!!) and grabbing some grub.
|
|
lt1
Moderator
Posts: 824
|
Post by lt1 on Jun 4, 2015 20:44:57 GMT -5
Alan if you note I said organizations plural. There is no excuse for the fiasco that took place last yr and every yr. As I stated in the past I have been on details at Times Square and the West Indian Day Parade which have over a million people attending them and we got those places cleared in a hell of a quicker time then they do. It takes planning, training and the right of amount of personnel being deployed. Neither NYRA or the LIRR grasp that concept. I know your next line will be they don't have cars there and that's true but remember cars don't have brains they only respond to the drivers commands. People on the other hand have brains and a will and want to do what they want to do therefore making them more difficult to deal with. And Fridays card also has 3 alw and 2 mdn races not worth $15 for a grandstand admission. The card is no better then NY Show Case Day when you get in for a hell of a lot less. Face it Alan you are the Lone Ranger when it comes to NYRA. Heck they should hire you at least you would do a good job.
|
|
teenagewildlife
Active Member
my mama said you better get things done, you better not mess with major tom
Posts: 761 
|
Post by teenagewildlife on Jun 4, 2015 20:52:44 GMT -5
By the way, there is more than a 2 mile stakes race tomorrow - there are five stakes races (not that I agree with that but it's what major racetracks do these days) For comparison, Churchill Downs charges $35 for general admission the Friday before their big race and $55 on Saturday, Pimlico charges only $10 for Friday but $25 on Saturday (which doesn't give you access to the building, only the cramped infield drunk-fest) Belmont charges $15 for each day. Churchill Downs $90 for both days, Pimlico $35 for both days, and Belmont $30 for both days. So what's the problem with that other than it's big bad NYRA? count me in for $15 a day. steal the deal! its fun no matter what. esp would like it if they had the daschund races like i once saw at sam houston!! |
|
|
|
Post by Evelyn on Jun 4, 2015 20:56:52 GMT -5
The Ky Oaks was on Friday! But the graded stakes are going to waste. Some should have been held on another Sat. The "let's have all big races on 1 day" stinks! Not criticizing NY RACING - It's the track management and NRA that are terrible. A phone call to their boss and the LIRR problem is solved. But he does want racing to fail! It's been a few years since we went. he last time we drove and it took awhile to get out and then, of course had to deal with Sat night traffic in to the city, but nothing like what people went through last year. And we also took the LIRR - never those kinds of waits. Crowded- yes. People standing - yes. But there was a schedule starting early in the morning and trains ran pretty much according to it. We left early so maybe later trains were running late but nothing like what Nancy's nephew went through last year.
We're probably never going to another Belmont. Maybe we're just getting older or even more, we don't enjoy being treated like dirt! And I don't mean the tellers. They're rude all of the time LOL
Have to go - the Zayat show is about to begin!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 21:00:19 GMT -5
Most of the parking at Churchill Downs (and Pimlico) is off-site. In fact, Churchill Downs' parking is closed to people wanting to pay and park the day of the race.
What happened last year was blown way out of proportion - none of the delays getting out of the parking lots were ever documented, it was anecdotal, and maybe by some who were big losers that day? The reason for the perception may be that people have forgotten about the days years ago when there were 40,000 people at Belmont EVERY Saturday. Now they get seven or eight thousand people there and it's easy to get out. Both my brother and sister live less than a mile from Belmont, they used to plan their weekends around the noon to 1 PM arrival time and the 5-6 PM exodus. The entire neighborhood around Belmont was congested on Saturday race days.
It used to take me more than an hour to get out of the parking lot at Shea Stadium for a baseball game with 50,000 people, and that wasn't a once-a-year thing like the Belmont Stakes.
When we go up to Gillette Stadium to see a Patriots' game, we park about a mile from the stadium because it's so jammed getting out of there - and they only have 68,000 seats and they do it 10 times a year, again not just once a year or less. Those who park on the stadium grounds take hours to get out. That was one of the reasons for post-game tailgating that's developed over the years.
The bottom line is if you want to go to an event that has 120,000 people there, you're not going to stroll in and out of the place. I think the capping of attendance this year was an over reaction to the complaints last year. But even so, what's the big deal - if you want to go, get your ticket in advance like just about every other sporting event. People can't show up at the gate at Met-Life Stadium and buy a ticket to see the Giants the day of the game, and when the last ticket is sold, no one else can buy one. Their attendance is "capped" too! Until last year (when they sucked, by the way) for 20 or more years you couldn't get a ticket for a Red Sox game on game day.
But, did we hear a peep about three-quarters of the bathrooms being un-functional at the Preakness this year until almost 6PM?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 21:11:19 GMT -5
Alan if you note I said organizations plural. There is no excuse for the fiasco that took place last yr and every yr. As I stated in the past I have been on details at Times Square and the West Indian Day Parade which have over a million people attending them and we got those places cleared in a hell of a quicker time then they do. It takes planning, training and the right of amount of personnel being deployed. Neither NYRA or the LIRR grasp that concept. I know your next line will be they don't have cars there and that's true but remember cars don't have brains they only respond to the drivers commands. People on the other hand have brains and a will and want to do what they want to do therefore making them more difficult to deal with. And Fridays card also has 3 alw and 2 mdn races not worth $15 for a grandstand admission. The card is no better then NY Show Case Day when you get in for a hell of a lot less. Face it Alan you are the Lone Ranger when it comes to NYRA. Heck they should hire you at least you would do a good job. Tim, there are dozens of streets around Times Square that people use to leave the area, and yes, NO CARS are permitted! Not only that, on New Year's Eve people have to be IN Times Square hours before any of the entertainment or events start. Do you think that area would be cleared quickly if more than half the people were in cars? Not at all. People either walk out of the area or stream into the dozen or so subway stations in the vicinity of Times Square. There is no comparison between a street event and a sporting event in a confined stadium, arena, or racetrack. I've already commented a few minutes ago about the delays at any sold-out sporting event- baseball, football, etc. People forget the days when getting out of Aqueduct or Belmont Park on even an ordinary Saturday was a hassle. Now they're accustomed to getting out quickly because there are only a few thousand people there, and they expect the same now when there are 20 times that amount. I've been to dozens of Belmonts over the years, and I never got out of the place in less than a couple of hours. The problem is that for some unknown (aka POLITICAL) reason some people will hate everything that the current NYRA board does. Period. Oh, as for the admission charge? Equivalent admission at Santa Anita is $10.00 EVERY DAY, many of which are only 8-race cards. No one complains about that! This is 2015. |
|
|
|
Post by Evelyn on Jun 4, 2015 21:50:26 GMT -5
I have no problem with the admission prices. But really George - this is NOT about politics, other than a Governor who hates racing/loves casinos and is using his political power to hurt NY racing, starting with the inept (not "big, bad - inept! well - yes also BAD!)NYRA. I've said many times we are Dems but, unlike some, we are not lemmings and will not support bad actions just because someone is a Democrat. That accusation is insulting.
Talking to someone who was there last year, nothing was exaggerated. It was awful for fans. Anyone who believes what the NYRA told the press is naive. I believe the people who were there!
Simply put, Kay and his repeated "fan enhancement" garbage is BS! I hope his hotels are cleaner, friendlier, better managed and have wedding receptions limited to 100 or less, because he knows nothing about handling crowds of fans at major events.
Racing fans still go but no true NY Racing fan is complimentary about this incompetent NYRA (except you!)
|
|
lt1
Moderator
Posts: 824
|
Post by lt1 on Jun 4, 2015 22:19:03 GMT -5
Oh really geez I must have missed something all those years I was there. Glad you saw it. And I think I do remember dealing with some pretty massive traffic jams in my time that were handled fairly easily. You know what happens when no one directs traffic. Drivers cut each other off trying to gain inches by changing lanes ETC. If you set up lanes and funnel traffic where you want them to go you get an even flow of traffic moving at a steady rate. May not be a speed way but traffic moves and gets out. I do remember weekends at both Aqu and Belmont and never had any major problem getting out. Aqu was a little tougher because of the airport and the mergers to get on the Belt P'way.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 22:30:26 GMT -5
Oh really geez I must have missed something all those years I was there. Glad you saw it. And I think I do remember dealing with some pretty massive traffic jams in my time that were handled fairly easily. You know what happens when no one directs traffic. Drivers cut each other off trying to gain inches by changing lanes ETC. If you set up lanes and funnel traffic where you want them to go you get an even flow of traffic moving at a steady rate. May not be a speed way but traffic moves and gets out. I do remember weekends at both Aqu and Belmont and never had any major problem getting out. Aqu was a little tougher because of the airport and the mergers to get on the Belt P'way. The first accident I ever had was leaving Belmont Park after High Echelon won the Belmont (I was annoyed with myself because I didn't like Personality, the top half of the entry, so ignored him, a good mudder!) All the exits from Belmont were jammed leading onto the Cross Island Parkway, so I went around back to the Plainfield Avenue exit and was taking side streets to get out of the area. I forget the street, but know it was Floral Park. This was about 6:45 (that was back when the Belmont went off around 5:30) That's the way it was. Plus, my brother lives of Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square and my sister lived off Linden Boulevard in Elmont (move a couple of years ago) - I've been WELL aware of traffic in the area for more than 40 years - both old-time Saturday traffic and Belmont Saturdays. The fact is, regardless of what you may want me to believe, traffic is horrible that day - always was and always will be, despite who the Chairman of NYRA is. Evelyn, you contradict yourself, on the one hand it's not politics and then you say "this is NOT about politics, other than a Governor who hates racing/loves casinos and is using his political power" So, it IS politics! Goodnight, I have to go handicap the crappy Belmont card for tomorrow! |
|
