FEBRUARY 2013 THE RIDER/ 5 Out With The Old, In With The New By Andrea Cascone
Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium’s Slots-at- Racetracks program is replaced with a renewed and reduced two-year
lease.
On February 4, 2013 the landlord of the Fort Erie racetracks, Nordic Gaming Corporation, announced they are renew- ing the lease on the tracks
Woodbine Announces 2013 Thoroughbred Racing Events Including Queen’s Plate
Toronto, January 24, 2013 – Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) today confirmed that it will once again be the home of the iconic Queen’s Plate as part of Wood- bine’s 2013 thoroughbred racing season, which opens on April 20.
Thoroughbred Opening Day at Woodbine set for April 20
WEG will be making an application for 133 thor- oughbred racing days at Woodbine, along with a total of 183 standardbred race days at Woodbine (99 dates) and Mohawk (84 dates).
The Woodbine backstretch will re-open on March 1. The announcement followed a two-year transitional funding agreement reached this week with the govern- ment of Ontario, and an agreement-in-principle with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. over leases for con- tinuing slots operations at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks.
“I am delighted that at long last, we have been able to provide our fans, industry partners and the horsemen and women of Ontario with more clarity about our 2013 schedule,” said Nick Eaves, President and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group. “We will continue to work hard to achieve an industry model that will sustain and grow our industry, and this sport, for the long haul.” Major events for the upcoming racing season
include:
The 154th running of the Queen’s Plate: The first jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and the longest continuously run stakes race in North Ameri- ca.
for two more years. This news comes as a great relief to the over 50,000 people holding jobs within the horse racing industry. This group met the Gov- ernment of Ontario’s deci- sion to end the Slots-at- Racetrack program back in 2011 with both dread and outrage.
The Slots-at-Race- track program originally subsidized the racetracks with $345 million per year in revenue generate by the slots, but that is scheduled to come to a screeching halt on March 31st and many are unsure how the industry will survive this tremendous blow. There is much concern about the forecasted economic rami-
fications outside of the industry that will occur as a result of this decision. Not only is the lease being renewed for an addi- tional two years but the announcement made on Monday details that the rent, which used to be $600,000 per year, will be reduced to $395,000 per year. This means that the Fort Erie Live Racing Con- sortium will be saving over half a million dollars com- bined over the next two years of their lease. While this certainly won’t make up for the millions of dol- lars that the Slots-at-Race- track program used to sub- sidize, Fort Erie Live Rac- ing Consortium CEO Jim Thibert is confident that
this is a first step in the right direction.
their livelihood.”
Thibert recognizes that there are still many negotiations to work through with the Govern- ment of Ontario, for instance, the racetracks will have to submit to trans- parency agreements set by the government, should they wish to receive any transition funding. But again, Thibert is confident that this will not be an issue for Fort Erie’s pro- posal. He stated, “We are hopeful that common sense will prevail, that the Province can appreciate the economic impact on Fort Erie, the jobs that it creates and the families and busi- nesses that depend on it for
While the future of the Fort Erie racetracks and others in Ontario are still uncertain, the announce- ment of a renewed and reduced lease is the best news that the horse racing industry has received so far on this issue. Government officials and racetrack pro- fessionals are currently in negotiations to determine the fate of the industry going forward, as well as to discuss the impact that the new lease set for April 1st, 2013, will have on both the industry and the Province. Negotiations are being pri- oritized among the various tracks that have been affected by this announce- ment, Woodbine being the
first track to undergo this process.
Incoming Premier Kathleen Wynne has also voiced her support of the racetracks that have been affected by the Govern- ment’s decision. She has stated that she wants to ensure that Ontario contin- ues to have a sustainable horse racing industry. Wynne recognizes the irre- vocable effect that this will have on the economy and wants to ensure that Ontario’s racetracks have a bright future. The Rider will keep you updated with these events as they contin- ue to unfold.
The Pattison Canadian International: Traditionally, competitors from all over the world have competed in Woodbine’s famed 1 1/2–mile turf classic and 2013 will be no different. All-time greats, including Secretariat, Youth, Chief Bearhart and Sulamani captured the autumn time event.
The Ricoh Woodbine Mile: Has featured star- stacked international fields of older horses including the 2012 edition, which spotlighted eventual multiple Eclipse Award-winning Horse of the Year, Wise Dan. Launched in 1997, the race is contested over Wood- bine’s world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The Pepsi North America Cup (Mohawk) Staged for the first time in 1984, it has become one of the standards of excellence in harness racing. The continent’s finest three year-old pacers and dramatic finishes have factored into establishing the Pepsi North America Cup as a world-class sporting event.
Mohawk will also host the traditional standardbred Summer Meet from late spring through to the fall. These agreements ensure the continuation of live horse racing at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks for the next two years. They take effect after the Slots-at- Racetracks program ends on March 31, 2013. While the agreements will result in significant changes to WEG’s operating model, the average daily purses for thoroughbred will be comparable to those of 2012, and standardbred purses will be continue at exist- ing 2013 rates.
“The uncertainty around racing this year has been very difficult,” said Sue Leslie, President of the Horse- men’s Benevolent and Protective Association. “Confir- mation of a 2013 racing season and a commitment to the long-term sustainability of horse racing is critical for horsemen.”
Eaves noted that while the agreements provide short-term stability, a long-term, sustainable model for WEG and the Ontario horse racing industry could only be achieved by integrating horse racing into the province’s overall gaming strategy. He added that a core element of that strategy must be permanent, expanded casinos at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks. Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) is a not-for- profit Corporation without shareholders. WEG is the largest horse racing operator in Canada offering world class horse racing at both Woodbine (Toronto) and Mohawk (Milton) racetracks. WEG operates off-track wagering operations through its “Champions” teletheatre network, which include WEGZ Stadium Bar in Vaugh- an, Turf Lounge in downtown Toronto and Greenwood in the Beach area of Toronto. WEG also operates Horse Player Interactive and HPItv.
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