Racino on agenda for two meetings
SARATOGA SPRINGS Saratoga Casino & Raceway’s expansion will be the subject of not one, but two public meetings this week.
The project is scheduled to be a part of tonight’s City Council meeting, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Mayor Joanne Yepsen has also called a special City Council meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday to take comments specififically on the expansion.
The $30 million proposal includes development of a fifive- story, 120-room hotel; 137-seat steakhouse; spa; 28-seat coffeehouse; and 2,000-seat multi-purpose event center, to be completed in two phases. However, public comment will only hold so much merit, as the racino is not subject to local land-use laws. Instead, New York state oversees it.
Most development projects in the city go through a series of review by a combination of the city council, planning board, zoning board of appeals and design review commission. Saratoga Casino & Raceway, however, is exempt from this municipal process.
Although the racino is on private property, and run not by the state but by major shareholders, it operates under a 10-year-old gaming law for video-lottery gaming operations, which means it is governed by the state and does not have to go through the local land-use boards. Racino design team members haves said at previous meetings that board and public comments were heard out of courtesy.
Saratoga Casino & Raceway does not yet have a lead agency to oversee the SEQRA process for the expansion, although it’s expected the New York State Gaming Commission will take that role.
The racino now has 1,778 slot machines, including electronic table games.
Tonight’s agenda also includes discussion of the City Center parking garage schedule, another ongoing
debate. Though the project would not be funded by taxpayer money but by the City Center’s own coffers, it has
still crated a stir. The Mou- zon House restaurant at 1 York St. sent out a press release two weeks ago about the proposed lot may create a shadow over its garden, affecting the atmosphere so much it could potentially shut down the business.
Among the topics for discussion and vote tonight is a resolution authorizing the city to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding to construct a Geyser Road pedestrian-bike trail.
The proposed 2.8-mile multiuse path Geyser Road pedestrian bike trail would run from the Milton town limit to Route 50, enabling safe pedestrian and bicycling access to the rest of the city. The current trail along Geyser Road is more unsafe than enjoyable.
Over the years, the Southwest Neighborhood Association has gathered thousands in private donations, grants and even funding from Assemblyman James Tedisco.
The funds paid for a survey and a scoping document to lay out the general plan. The SNA has been working to get the path built for over 10 years, but funding hasn’t been stable.