The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Lawmakers pass tax relief for racino
VERNON, N.Y. » Though closing dates were set and the New York State Legislature ended its normal session without passing tax relief legislation, Vernon Downs will remain open.
The New York State Senate and Assembly appear to have reached an agreement on providing tax relief to Vernon Downs track and racino amid financial struggles owner Jeff Gural blames on an oversaturated gambling market in Central New York.
Thursday, Gural, also the Chairman of American Racing and Entertainment, extended his thanks to state lawmakers for helping save 300 local jobs.
“I wish to applaud the action taken by Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, Senator Klein, and Majority Leader Flanagan to ensure the continued viability of Vernon Downs,” Gural said. “On behalf of our 300 employees, their families and the surrounding ancillary businesses impacted by this legislation, you have our heartfelt thank you. The continuing operation Vernon Downs, and its positive economic impact for the Region, would not have happened without the leadership of Sen. Griffo and the Mohawk delegation. His dogged pursuit and tireless efforts to craft a fair and reasonable solution resolving the financial impediments we faced were invaluable. We look forward to passage of this legislation by the Senate today.”
The number of jobs saved was
a common topic among elected officials.
“I would like to thank Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature — and commend the hard work of Senator Joe Griffo and Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi — for securing the future of VernonDowns and protecting 300 jobs in Oneida County. This is a prime example of what we can accomplish when we work together on the lo- cal and state level. Vernon Downs has been a vital part of this region for many years and I hope it will continue to be for many years to come,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said.
Griffo, who has been in Gural’s corner throughout the Vernon Down’s efforts to acquire tax relief, was pleased the Oneida County landmark received the aid required to keep the track open and active in the local economy and community, but expressed his distaste with the Legislature’s inability to address the issue during regular session.
“While I am somewhat frustrated with the nature of the process and method by which this extraordinary session unfolded, by lumping too many issues together that could have been addressed some time ago, I amconfident that the legislation we finally passed will meet the needs of our communities,” Griffo said in a release Thursday following the closure of the special session.
TheMohawk Valley Nine, a bipartisan coalition of state legislators representing Herkimer, Madison and Oneida counties, also issued a statement in sup- port of Vernon Downs on Thursday.
“The Mohawk Valley Nine made Vernon Downs a top priority during the extraordinary session, and forced a relief package into the final legislative agreement – saving 300 jobs and stabilizing a key component of our local economy. This is a win for Vernon Downs, our schools that will continue to receive $12 million a year, and most importantly the families of those who work at the racino. Results like this are the reason we formed the Mohawk Valley Nine caucus. Moving forward, wewill continue to work together in a bi-partisan manner to address the shared concerns of our region’s residents, businesses, and local governments.”
TheMohawk Valley Nine is comprised of:
•Sen. James Seward (R50) – co-chairman
•Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-121) – co-chairman
•Sen. Joseph Griffo (R47)
•Sen. David Valesky (D53) •Sen. Jim Tedisco (R-49) •Assemblyman-Marc Butler (R-118)
•Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R-117)
•Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D-119)
•Assemblyman Brian Miller (R-101)
Thursday’s news comes on the heels of a tumultuous spring for the track which included delaying the start of Opening Night 2017, and Gural sharing that Vernon Downs was under significant financial pressure due having a higher tax rate than any of its competitors. The Vernon Downs owner posited that competing casinos have taken revenue from the property, and caused Vernon Downs to be losing on average about $170,000 per month since November, 2016.