Saratoga to open to fans with 20% capacity

[cherokeescot]

www.timesunion.com/news/article/State-to-allow-horseracing-tracks-can-open-to-16101422.php

What are our locals thinking about this ?

[1hooper]

The Daily Gazette.

The news was greeted Wednesday with enthusiasm but not unbridled joy in Saratoga Springs, where the business community relies heavily on the million-plus horse fans who attend the race course each summer.
The full details were not released, so it’s not clear whether the governor is allowing 20% of seating capacity (which would be 2,600) at Saratoga Race Course or 20% of full capacity (which would be about 10,000).
And whatever the limit is, each and every one of the attendees will need to present proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID test, Cuomo said.
Before 2020, average daily attendance at the track had been in the mid- to high 20,000s, with big weekend race days drawing in the high 40,000s.

[tenfurlongs]

This was announced to coincide with the opening on Belmont Park on April 22nd. It gives NYRA a heads-up so they can put their capacity-restriction plans in place (logistics, signage, employees, physical barriers, etc.). They'll need to hone the system and make adjustments as they go, but they can find out what works and what doesn't. Known unknowns. Saratoga opens exactly three months from today. 

Outside of Belmont Stakes Day, attendance at that facility is low. In 2015, average daily attendance was 4,855. That is obviously skewed a bit higher by the one big day, too. If you've ever been to the cavernous Belmont Park, 4,000 people is pretty sad compared to the heyday of racing in the 1950s & 1960s. You could shoot a cannon down the apron and probably not hit anybody.

Saratoga is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. Attendance at Saratoga is reliant on seating/standing in the backyard and on the apron, not the limited number of grandstand/clubhouse seats. I think they'll have to keep the apron closed to railbirds, and the backyard will become the "Picnic Table Derby" with assigned seating of pods of 4-6 people. No BYO chairs yet, probably. But all this could change based on Covid data improvements. There will be tremendous pressure from the local community, businesses, Chamber of Commerce, and other stakeholders to maximize "normalcy." The Capital Region and surrounding areas currently have the lowest Covid case numbers in the state. NYRA clearly has several different operating scenarios they can present to NYS based on what they learn at Belmont this spring. I'm still in the 50% or more camp for Saratoga on opening day.




TW

[Badactor]

NY residents only? That's how they're doing it @ Santa Anita. Disneyland, too. CA only.

[forego]

Apr 15, 2021 11:07:43 GMT -5 Badactor said:

NY residents only? That's how they're doing it @ Santa Anita. Disneyland, too. CA only.

Well, that's totally stupid and f-ed up on CA's part.  If you're fully vaccinated, shouldn't make a damn bit of difference whether you're a CA resident or not.