Albany Times Union: Silver Opposes Aqueduct Sale by James M. Odato...

ALBANY -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Monday shot down an idea floated by Gov. Eliot Spitzer to end racing at Aqueduct racetrack and put video lottery terminals instead at Belmont racetrack.

"It doesn't strike us well," Silver said.

The notion came up during a conversation Spitzer had with Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer, D-Queens, last week. Pheffer said the governor seemed comfortable with selling Aqueduct, the state's winter horse track, for commercial development.

Racing law allows for a VLT casino at Aqueduct, but not Belmont. Several Assembly Democrats said they would not allow Belmont to become a VLT site to allow for Aqueduct's closure.

"It's a wrong presumption that we would transfer that authorization to Belmont," Silver said.

Pheffer and Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, D-Queens, said they would fight any closure plan. Seminerio said closing Aqueduct means no winter racing for four years while Belmont was renovated, diminishing the state' racing program.

Assembly Racing & Wagering Committee Chairman Gary Pretlow, D-Mount Vernon, said closing Aqueduct is a "terrible" idea. He said the governor seems to want to market Belmont to a new operator while allowing Saratoga to continue under the operation of an organization similar to the New York Racing Association. NYRA holds the franchise to run races at the three tracks until the end of the year.

"There have been no formal discussions about it at all," Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said. "It's got to be part of a big picture."

Paul Larrabee, a spokesman for Spitzer, had no information about the proposal.