East
Rutherford, NJ - On Saturday night, The Meadowlands wrapped up its 2013 racing
calendar with another $3 Million night. Something that was achieved only
four times in 2012, including Meadowlands Pace and Hambletonian Day, the $3
Million night has become almost expected on Saturday nights and is an example
of the success The Big M had in 2013.
Total handle wagered on the
Meadowlands racing product increased from $171,920,157 in 2012 to $226,822,574
in 2013. That is an increase of nearly $55 Million or 32-percent.
While live handle was virtually flat, $24,595,767 in 2013 compared to
$24,653,746 in 2012, the Meadowlands raced two less days in 2013 due to weather
cancellations. The live handle per card of $307,447 in 2013 was a slight
increase from the $300,655 in 2012.
"To see these kind of numbers in this day and age borders on
the remarkable," said General Manager Jason Settlemoir. "A
racetrack showing a 32-percent increase in handle without the addition of
expanded gaming, or some other factor is something we can look back on with
pride. While we certainly received a shot in the arm by moving into a new
facility in November, the majority of our racing days were in our old
grandstand. These results are truly a testament to the hard work and
dedication of our entire team. The customer service provided by this team
is second to none and I have no doubts that it played a role in producing these
results."
"These results show that when you listen to your customers
and make proactive changes, great things are possible," said Director of
Racing Operations Darin Zoccali. We gave the bettors a second pick 4 to
wager on, moved post time back slightly to give customers a bit longer to make
it to the races, improved our export signal and also gave our customers an
integrity driven product to wager on. This past year was a lot of fun and
is something we can all be proud of, but now the bar has been raised and we
have expectations that we intend to surpass again in 2014. The brand new
Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment will go a long way in helping us
accomplish our goals."
The Meadowlands wasn't alone in it's success. Winners
Bayonne, the off-track wagering facility owned and operated by Meadowlands
Racing & Entertainment yielded substantial increases as well. Based
on a 5-month sample in 2012, Winners Bayonne projected to do approximately $35
Million in handle in a full calendar year. But in 2013, Winners Bayonne
surpassed $50 Million in handle, 42-percent more than the 2012 one-year
projections.
"We had a very good year at Winners," said
Zoccali, who also oversees that property as part of his responsibilities,
"but we aren't close to done yet. We have a great Director at
Winners in Michelle Byrd, complemented by a great management staff that take a
very proactive approach in implementing their ideas in how they feel we, as a
team, can make Winners even more successful. Operating a simulcast
facility is a tricky thing, because when it comes to the product offered, you
are dependent upon other tracks that are racing. Each year, the total
number of race days across the country is less. So, to show these kinds
of gains in this market, is remarkable. It is a testament to customer
service, ingenuity and hard work of the entire team at Winners. We look
forward to another great year at Winners Bayonne."
The all new Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment has been
widely praised for it's beauty and ambiance. Things will only get better
in the spring, as the Meadowlands opens the expansion of it's track apron, knows as
The Backyard, which will include many new amenities, dining and entertainment
that the old paddock park did not have. In addition, the rooftop, known
as Victory Terrace, will be opened in April and will certainly be a highly
sought after location to not only watch the races, but to enjoy a night out at
an outdoor lounge with breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline.
Details and information on the grand opening of both locations will be made
public in the coming months. Customers can log onto playmeadowlands.com for
previews.
Meadowlands Chairman Jeff Gural spoke about how Meadowlands Racing
& Entertainment is built with a vision to drive an entire industry in a new
direction. "This facility is so much more than a racetrack,"
said Gural. "People know what a racetrack is, they know what every
racetrack offers. But this is not just a racetrack. This facility
was built with the intention of providing something for everyone, including
those individuals who never stepped foot in a racetrack before. Pink,
Victory Sports Bar and Victory Terrace are meant to attract younger people to
our facility, and expose them to our racing product, with the hope the entire
package provides a night's worth of entertainment that will have them wanting
to come back. Fine dining, entertainment, gambling and late night drinks
and dancing would typically require a person, or a couple to go to three or
four different locations. At Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, it
is all rolled into one."
The Meadowlands also built a state of the art, elegant owners
club, named Trotters, that also has a specific purpose. "At the vast
majority of racetracks, a room like Trotters simply doesn't exist," said
Gural. "It is a gorgeous room that provides elegant dining, luxury,
marvelous ambiance and a great view of the racetrack. The hope is that a
person who owns horses, will take advantage of this unique location to come and
watch his or her horses race, with family and friends, rather than watch at
home, because Trotters, much like Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment isn't
just racing, it's an experience."
