With no fans at the track, Spa City renters rethink
The familiar sight of horse trailers driving up I-87 North is a reminder to locals that what some consider the official start to summer is soon approaching: track season in Saratoga Springs. What follows after the horses arrive at their stables is a wave of tourists heading in the same direction, excitedly taking the exits of 13N to 15 to settle in Saratoga Springs — for a few nights, one week, or all the way through Labor Day.
But for the first time in March, a month where house rentals historically book up for the upcoming season at Saratoga Race Course, concern grew over whether these predictable signs of summer would make their way up the Northway come July or if at all this year, and what the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the tourism industry and summer rental market would be.
“In March and April, we received cancelation requests for nearly every trip that was pre-booked for the summer,” said Joshua Davenport, owner of a twofamily, owner occupied home close to downtown. Last year, in his first season renting, he and his wife hosted 36 groups via Airbnb, and charged up to $600 per night for the three bedroom, two bathroom unit with access to the pool.
Now, with mass gatherings banned in New York State and the 2020 Saratoga racing season continuing without fans, Davenport and other short term renters are rethinking the strategy on how to generate rental income during a nontraditional track season.
According to findings from the Saratoga County Tourism and Hospitality Index, the Saratoga Race Course generates $237 million in annual economic activity, and accounts for 10,000 jobs in restaurants and hospitality from May to September. The eight-week racing season is one of the region’s most prominent tourist attractions, bringing in guests who choose accommodations within walking distance to the track or to downtown dining, retail and entertainment.
“The race track is the reason I have visited Saratoga for the past 20 years,” said Jim Nolan, who lives in Queens and travels upstate every summer for a guy’s trip. For more than a decade, Nolan has rented properties through Saratogabased vacation rental agency Racing City Realty, booking large homes for seven to eight guests with a pool, outdoor space and within close proximity to the track. “When we visit, we go to the races every day it’s open.”
Nolan reached out to Ariane Fuller, owner of Racing City Realty back in
April to adjust the trip based on the circumstances, including shortening the stay from one week to a long weekend, and to negotiate a new rental for a lower price per night. Nolan said working with Racing City makes it easy to browse listings based on his group’s criteria to select their summer rental, and to utilize their staff to broker and arrange the deals each year — which came in handy during the uncertainty of the pandemic.
“Everyone in my group was still interested in visiting, so the trip was still on,” said Nolan. “But the value in staying close to the track significantly decreased. We can golf during the day, hang out by the pool and cook, watch the races on TV and bet online, but not for the same price we usually pay.”
Alexis Davenport in front if her home, which is also an Airbnb, in Saratoga Springs.