Dispute Could See Simulcasting to Finger Lakes Halted

A labor dispute between the owners of Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate New York and the horsemen's group at the track could force a shutdown of its simulcasting operations on Jan. 1.

"We had to do something to draw attention to this situation,'' said David Brown, president of the Finger Lakes Horsemen Benevolent Protective Association.

The horsemen's group has been sounding the alarm for a couple years that racing at Finger Lakes risks closure when a sprawling, new commercial casino opens just 27 miles down the road from the track located south of Rochester. That casino, del Lago Resort and Casino, is set to open Feb. 1.

"Nobody knows how much we're going to lose, but it's going to be a lot,'' Brown said of the casino's financial impact on the track.

The looming impact has caused a sharp rift between Delaware North Cos., owners of Finger Lakes, and the horsemen's group. Normally, the sides have agreed or nearly finalized an annual contract by now for an upcoming year. "We're not even close,'' Brown said.

He said Delaware North has floated a sharp reduction in race dates, to about 100 in 2017, down from the 155 days approved for the track in 2016. Brown said the horsemen's group is seeking the same number of race dates in 2017 as this year, saying the track will bleed owners and trainers if the dates are dramatically lowered.

Racing normally begins in April. In the off-season, the track, which opened in 1962, offers simulcasting of race cards from tracks around the country. Recipients of the simulcasting proceeds include Delaware North and the horsemen. A casino is also located at the track; it offers video lottery terminals.

When del Lago opens it will have real slot machines and table games, gambling offerings that are not permitted at racetrack-based racinos in New York.

The simulcasting shutdown came as a result of a vote by the horsemen's board of directors.

"This is an unfortunate and unnecessary step by the horsemen,'' Chris Riegle, president and general manager at Finger Lakes, said in a written statement.

"This move helps no one from our affected employees, our customers and the horsemen themselves, who now lose the proceeds that every simulcast wager generates towards their purse account, which is already projected to be down significantly in 2017 and is a major factor in our inability to come to an agreement to this point," Riegle added.

Legislators and Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved a deal to give some financial protection to Delaware North and its Finger Lakes' casino once del Lago opens and, as the gambling industry terms it, cannibalizes revenues. The new, private casino will be located just off the New York Thruway and far quicker to reach for residents in and around nearby Rochester and Syracuse.

The horsemen's group sought, but was unable to secure, a similar financial carve-out to reduce some of the del Lago impact on racing at Finger Lakes.

Brown said the track will not be able to absorb both a hit from del Lago and a sharp cut in race dates. "I lose owners because our purse accounts are so small anyway,'' Brown said.