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Bottom line is, alot of the older people who used to go to the racetrack have passed away. Young people have so many other things to do they have no interest in horse racing. Racetrack managements have done little or nothing to attract new people to the track, plus with the advent of ADW's and off-track wagering, there's no reason to come to the track when you can wager from the comforts of home.
Let them die in peace . There is no savior coming to rescue that place . Gural only got in hoping for that mega casino deal . Plus Gural is worth 6 billion according to Forbes .
Yet he's always crying how he's losing money at The Meadowlands!
My problem with Gural is he wants to have it both ways. He takes credit for saving The Meadowlands as its proclaimed savoir yet in the next breath he claims he's losing money. Nobody likes to lose money, but rich people don't understand what it's like living paycheck to paycheck. He did his good deed, now STFU!
Who drives a successful entertainment enterprise? The youth. Who are playing video games, on TikTok, going to Taylor Swift concerts, on their phones 24 hours a day and still living with their parents in their 30s. That used to be the crowd who went out on the weekends looking for a good time. The same crowd who also went to the racetracks. Add in nobody wants to wait for gratification anymore. Fast, in, out then move onto the next stimulation. A lot of other businesses are long gone for the same reasons that didn't have injections of subsidy to keep it afloat. So first question, and be honest with yourself. Do you ever see this industry becoming a viable and relevant form of entertainment that can be profitable and fly on its own. That's without trying to convince the public that it isn't rigged, abusive, using drugs on horses and filled with criminals. Like I said last week, the two biggest press releases regarding harness racing in the last decade have been the federal sting and Freehold closing. We need a Caitlin Clark of harness racing. A story that people can't ignore. What would that take? It's not about speed anymore. Does anyone on the street know who Bulldog Hanover is? If there are ten chapters in the story of harness racing, is it possible we're in chapter 9 or 10? I was a fool two years ago thinking that if people spoke up and fought back the sport could somehow change its perception with the public and possibly be seen again as a legitimate sport that might even interest a slice of the younger crowd. Well that was a HUGE fucking mistake and miscalculation wasn't it. You have leadership spending millions to fight integrity and transparency and is also willing to do anything to silence anyone who dares expose certain truths. One by one we're seeing it shrink. The stars are aligning for government oversight. The fact that is even on the table is an embarrassment and proof just how gross the business is today. JMO. P.S. Horsemen in general need to be taught just how much it truly costs to operate a racetrack and fund its purse account. They really don't have a clue. I'm seeing that more with the comments I read about Freehold and how they think it can be saved.
Freehold was getting 1.6 million from the state. They should make a million or two from the OTBS. If they had a clue they would've had sports betting from the jump. That should have added another few million. This would've allowed racing to continue & the purses be okay. Mismanagement at it's best & most likely planned. If not everyone in power to make decisions needs to be fired.
Returning to a viable business, Freehold raceway is not where anyone with a dime to invest will put it. Harness racing has lost it's entertainment value a long time ago. The Afternoon Delight was just that when, there was no other choice for your gambling dollar. With a multitude of choices made possible by technology, there is no need to drive on down to place that resembles a City Bus Station, in the 'hood. The state subsidy granted to Freehold did nothing to improve this situation. In my opinion, you could rebuild the entire plant to the absolute latest in gaming trends, giveaways everyday, and still be in a negative cash flow from day one. Show me one harness racing venue that produces a profit, solely from its racing product. Even during the greatest days of harness racing, betting handle was only a portion of the revenue streams. Parking, programs, food, alcohol and even souvenirs, jackets and shirts made good money. I had my "Afternoon Delight" jacket. It is a shame what has happened but to blame one single entity is foolish. It is also inevitable for all. Good by, Freehold Raceway. I have some special memories from this place.
