Fort Erie Closing

[Jane]

Looks like the plan is to close Ft Erie after this season. I feel sick about this beautiful place going to waste, not to mention that the racetrack is the biggest employer is that town.

Idiot government!

[griff]

I find it hard to believe a government, idiot or not, would close down a thriving revenue generating business. ???

griff

[madelyn]

It wasn't. Not profit-making, anyhow. The slots pulled out. It is not a self-sustaining track.

[Joltman]

Any chance of a new buyer?

jm

[wilf]

The slots at the track were making a lot of money and providing employment to hundreds in the vicinity plus the ripple effect of tourism and rural economic benefits. A simple questionable decision by the Ontario Govt has jeopardised an entire industry and set off anger that is not over by a long chalk. Every large civilised nation encourages all industry that promotes rural growth and population de-centralisation..........not this one. I smell a rat!

[madelyn]

wilf, we are talking about the Ontario government - not the sharpest pencils in the box ..

[Dave C]

The pencils are sharp enough, they're just trying to use the wrong end.

[wilf]

There's even more to consider as they propose a casino in an already congested metro area. Many of the older patrons cannot handle the traffic and parking woes/costs. Fort Erie was an easy fit for many folks ,the decision to pull the plug was not thought out well at all. when I watched the original press conference earlier in the year and noticed that the speaker was all rings on his fingers and even had bangles on his wrists I just rolled my eyes. In the words of Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive','that guy's dirty'.

[Sparafucile]

The Ontario Liberals are surely at fault here. I will definitely never vote for a provincial Liberal candidate again.

[Sparafucile]

I heard a rumor that the director of marketing at Fort Erie Race Track was in discussions with Nik Wallenda. I heard, that in order to increase the attendance at the track, they were trying to get him to walk across the wire at the finish line this Sunday.

But they stop the negotiations because they didn't want to cancel their very successful "Farmer's Market " promotion.

All joking aside, that is one of the main reasons that this racetrack has attendance problems. It continues to employ people lacking marketing experience.

[reenci]

The Ontario Liberals are surely at fault here. I will definitely never vote for a provincial Liberal candidate again.

who in their right mind votes for a liberal anyways ? ...anytime ? ...anywhere ?

[reenci]

I heard a rumor that the director of marketing at Fort Erie Race Track was in discussions with Nik Wallenda. I heard, that in order to increase the attendance at the track, they were trying to get him to walk across the wire at the finish line this Sunday.

But they stop the negotiations because they didn't want to cancel their very successful "Farmer's Market " promotion.

All joking aside, that is one of the main reasons that this racetrack has attendance problems. It continues to employ people lacking marketing experience.

ahhh !!!!....im not the only one that thinks that.

[reenci]

Fort Erie is one of the oldest tracks in North America if i am not mistaken...i ran some horses there in the 80's and i loved the experiance, the old style charm in the backside with the court yard settings....really a shame

[Sparafucile]

The director of marketing/pre-race commentator at Fort Erie is, in my opinion, more interested in furthering her TV career than marketing the track. Her pre-race comments are above the level of understanding of the casual race day fan and not taken seriously by the more seasoned bettors.
I think she should channel her efforts in getting people to the track rather than offering her opinion of the outcome of the races.

[Mood Swings]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le4299983/