Page 3 - November 2008 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Game, November 2008 3 think we have to have a decision from the province
that nally there’s somebody there that is listening and is going to bring it to some kind of resolution and that it could be a positive one.”
Applications were due September 10, but the dead- line can be extended.
so he can proceed with the major investment
for tourism in Ontario here in Fort Erie to help get those U.S. tourists to come back into Canada for a showcase venue that they come to. The owner is still committed to making this work, but we need the partnership with the province in order to make the thing succeed.”
Tshuva has companies involved in
diversi ed global investments throughout the world, including owning the Plaza Hotel in New York and approximately 20,000 housing units and nearly 700,000 square meters of commercial real estate in North America and Canada, plus real estate in Eu- rope. He is also involved in oil and gas exploration, production, re nement, transportation and retailing.
Leslie acknowledged that as wealthy as Tshuva is, any business person would not want to continually lose money.
When asked if Tshuva is seriously considering shutting down the track, Ayers said: “I can’t answer that (at this time). We just hope it will come to an agreement before the next season. (Closing the track) is something we don’t want to (do). We would be loathe to do it.
“From a strictly business decision, if the project
is not going to be viable, I can appreciate that Mr. (Tshuva) has no interest in continuing to operate
it,” she said. “What I don’t appreciate is that he is
a billionaire and if you’re going to close some- thing that’s going to dramatically affect that many people’s lives, you don’t do it in a dispassionate way and on the spur of the moment. You give people
lots of notice. You give them time to adjust and
to do something to create an environment where they can continue on with their lives and not suffer devastating effects.
The track, which is one of the oldest in North America, has been hit hard by a variety of factors, not the least of which is increased gaming competi- tion nearby. Both Casino Niagara, which opened in Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1996 and Seneca Niagara, which opened in 2003 in Niagara Falls, New York, have siphoned off some of the gambling dollars from Fort Erie, which bene tted from the provincial government’s decision in December, 1998 to allow tracks to have slot machines. It became a nancial boon for all racetracks in Ontario, allowing for increased purses and improvement to the facilities, but that gaming advantage has been taken away by full-service casinos at the border tracks in Ontario, notably Fort Erie Racetrack and Windsor Race-
way. Fort Erie has 1,200 slot machines, but Casino Niagara has 3,000 slot machines and 135 gaming tables, while Seneca Niagara has 4,200 slots and 100 tables. In addition, the casinos have hotel and enter- tainment complexes.
“We have to have an answer from the government in the shorter while in order to make our decision as to what our future is. It’s a question of getting to an agreement...to decide on next year. Every meeting (with government of cials) has been positive, it’s just a question of nalizing an agreement and getting on with it. That’s what’s happening at the moment. Regarding next year we haven’t decided what we can or cannot do.”
“Nordic indicated all along the last two years that they’re suffering losses that they weren’t willing
to do ad in nitum. They have been encouraged by several government of cials through this process that this project is going to get done. I think they’re just getting very frustrated as am I, as is the town of Fort Erie that you can’t just bring this to a conclusion. I don’t know this, but you’ve got (Tshuva) sitting off in the horizon somewhere, he’s obviously a fairly good businessman with lots of activity going on in his life and I wouldn’t think the Fort Erie Racetrack development is his number one priority.
Martin is remaining hopeful.
“We’re proceeding and doing everything we can as a municipality to ensure that it does happen,” Martin said. “Our staff and the ministry staff have been in constant contact for about a year now, almost daily at times, trying to nd a way to facilitate development to make sure that it does happen...The (track) owner needs some direction, some commitment, from the government (whether) they see that is a viable op- tion.
“At what point is he going to say, ‘Listen, we’ve tried long enough, we’ve waited long enough, this
is it.’ The only thing I’m saying is, while I can be sympathetic to that situation, he is a billionaire. I’m sure as a billionaire he probably gives a lot of money to charity, so be charitable to the horsemen if
“There has been a proliferation of competition in terms of the slots and there’s also been the big casi- nos and hotels on the New York side, both Niagara Falls and now coming up on the Buffalo side,” Ayers said.
“Unfortunately because of how complicated it is, we haven’t been able to come to that end now and
I think we’ve gone as far as we can as a municipal- ity,” he added. “It’s now up to the province to make that decision and we’re hoping they’ll come back in favour of this very shortly. The owner is still com- mitted, that’s why I’m optimistic. Once he decides he’s no longer interested then I would no longer
be optimistic at all. We have to stay optimistic on this, we have to stay positive. We’re not looking
at closing the track, we’re looking at maintaining the track for years to come and this is a good way of ensuring there will be racing in Fort Erie for years to come and I’m sure the province will see it that way.”
he’s going to close the place and give them one-year’s notice if, in fact, his racetrack is going to close. I don’t think that’s an unrea- sonable request.”
He’s Back!
Continued Page 4 - See Fort Erie Update
A year ago at this time, the state of the track had become such a concern that a campaign started to keep racing going with a Save The Track slogan. Nordic ponied up by guarantee- ing purses and a schedule of 80 race dates, down four from the year before and 24 from 2006.
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Nordic Gaming has not even applied for race dates for next year.
“(The owner) was willing to do that on the premise that we would have an agreement by some time this year,” Martin said. “The concern is I’m not sure what his frame of mind is now. It’s been a year of waiting. I
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