Gural: “You're right, I'm being vindictive”

[jordanjacob]

I'll speak from my own experience and I believe Jeff has been trying to assist the horsemen with their needs and requests.

As far as the lack of people there, many fans from NY would attend the track in its heyday. However, traffic, the price of gas even though down from past years is substantially higher over the last 20 years, and the massive increase in the price of tolls is a factor. Who wants to pay $75.00 in gas and tolls and drive 90 minutes to 2 hours each way when you can wager on the pc and watch the races on tv?
 

[maywoodmaniac]

Good question but people do it all the time for football games and other sports.

Personally, nothing beats a vibrant on-track experience because you see much more than watching on a computer or TV.

But when it comes to the Meadowlands, that's all I have since I'm in Chicago.  Just not the same as being there and seeing it live.

[NIATROSS]

JJ is absolutely correct. Gural is no. 1 a successful businessman and he has things covered in case he doesn't get a casino in NJ.

And I believe he's doing all he can for harness racing, and that Gov. Fatburger would have closed the place if Gural didn't step up. The game was going in the wrong direction and he committed dollars, time and energy to do "the right thing" for the sport. It's one of a few that aren't welfare tracks.

Many of you have mentioned why things haven't worked out and you are correct. Personally I think his team isn't strong enough to get the job done; they either are Yes men or Jeff doesn't listen and does it his way. He builds a new $80 million building but can only draw 3,000 on a Saturday night? It's like having your favorite team win the division during the regular season but blowing out in the first round of the playoffs.

Thirty five years ago NASCAR was literally spinning its wheels. Marketing saved them and if the Big M is going to thrive, marketing the casino and track will be necessary. Doing the same old, same old doesn't work anywhere, and harness racing never has learned that lesson.

I haven't bet a dime on their product since the end of January. I didn't have time in February but this month the quality of each and every Saturday card has gotten worse, so I have focused on the Triple Crown races. The best drivers are gone until May with the Levy series and I have no interest gambling on Ginsburg, McCarthy and others like them.

nascar and indy cars boht did the same thing as racing they over expanded.
take a look nowadays and at most races the tracks are near 1/2 empty
it is also hard to compare racing to nascar as there are only 36 total races in the main series