Quote:
Originally Posted by Descant
Belmont, and the other tracks, couldn't survive when we started a 10% tax on gambling winnings. Their business evaporated in a matter of weeks. That tax also took a big chunk out of lottery ticket sales. Fortunately, the legislature changed hands and the tax repeal was rushed through, but it was too late and Belmont never recovered. Recall, dog racing was also banned. Belmont had some telephone betting, I believe, which helped cover overhead. That went away with the tax. Population centers need to be larger to support large table game and slot venues, large hotel/entertainment centers can carry some of that load.
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I think they actually stopped running dogs here before the ban. The telephone betting went kaput around the time that a drug raid led to findings that management had been money laundering.
Camping muddled through and recovered from from the M&R being expanded to campsites rented short term.
It really doesn't have that upper-class pizazz; which is its problem.