Mohegan Sun, the Connecticut casino owned and operated by the native American Mohegan tribe, has entered the bidding for Aqueduct and the other two tracks that belong to the state's horse-racing franchise, a spokesman for one of the four suitors said Monday.
Mohegan Sun joined Capital Play Inc., which is headed by Australian businessman Karl O'Farrell, as a "VLT partner," according to Scott Gastel, a Capital Play spokesman. He was referring to video lottery terminals, devices similar to slot machines."It's exciting news to have [Mohegan Sun] joining the team," Gastel said.
VLTs are slated to be installed at Aqueduct Race Track in Ozone Park by late 2007 after state law was amended in 2001 that allowed for VLTs at the track. Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the state Legislature would need to sign off on VLTs for Belmont Race Track in Elmont, L.I. Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is the third track that comprise the state's horse-racing franchise.
The New York Racing Association currently holds the franchise, which expires at the end of the year. The state has implemented a bidding process to pick the successor which has drawn four contenders: Capital Play along with Mohegan Sun; Excelsior Racing Associates; Empire Racing Associates; and the NYRA, which is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
"We are looking forward to continuing to compete for the bid," Gastel said. About 4,500 VLTs are to be installed at Aqueduct.
Capital Play welcomed Mohegan Sun to its team, which includes Triple Crown jockey Steve Cauthen, because of its success in running VLTs, Gastel said.
"Mohegan Sun has a tremendous record in terms of the amount of revenue it's able to generate out of the VLTs at its other facilities," he said, which includes its Uncasville, Conn. casino - the second-largest in the world - and Pocono Downs Racetrack in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
State Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway Beach) earlier told the TimesLedger that she was in favor of having VLTs at Aqueduct because they would generate a considerable amount of revenue for the state.
