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Confusion reigns with racino plans
Friday, Feb. 8, 2008
By Victor Whitman
Times Herald-Record
MONTICELLO — News that an Indian casino is dead and that Empire Resorts wants to move its racino and track to the defunct Concord hotel has lots of people confused in Sullivan County.
Even those who thought they'd heard everything about gaming in a decadelong roller coaster ride say they're waiting for more details.
Empire has confirmed that Louis Cappelli and his partner, Scott Rechler, want to move the track and racino to a 160-acre parcel on what had been the jewel of the Catskills. Sources said that a joint venture between Empire and Concord owner Cappelli was close to being signed yesterday. Cappelli did not return several calls and requests by e-mail yesterday for an interview. Empire also declined to comment further.
Longtime casino watchers are skeptical, given Cappelli's record in Sullivan County of introducing grand development schemes for his properties, which also include Grossinger's in Liberty.
"Louis Cappelli and I have been working together for the past 10 years and the proof is in the pudding," Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini said. "Have you seen anything happen?"
If Cappelli wants to move the Raceway, he'd need approvals from the state Racing and Waging Board first to move the track, then the Lottery Commission to open the racino. "We have never had anything happen like that before," said Dan Toomey, spokesman for the Racing and Wagering Board. "It would absolutely need board approval. Their whole plan of operations would need to be altered."
It is unclear if Cappelli will pursue a full-fledged casino on the site. The racino at the Raceway hasn't fared well financially, competing head-to-head with Pennsylvania casinos.
"I think it is silly," said Richard Parsells, the former director of the Monticello Harness Horsemen's Association. "Why would you want to spend all that money building over there?"
The St. Regis Mohawks, Empire's development partner, are also confused. Tuesday, Empire sent the tribe a letter indicating that it was closing its casino development office. Wednesday, the Mohawks put out a news release saying that they'd been dumped and might pursue legal action. Now the tribe says they're not so sure that their partnership is over.
"To be frank, the tribe itself is trying to sort out what appears to be a stream of contradicting claims and statements by Empire," the Mohawk's spokeswoman, Leslie Logan, said yesterday. "They send us a letter saying they are shutting down the development offices, then they say they don't want the partnership to end, then they say publicly that our agreements expired at the end of the last year. At this point, we are having our attorneys review all relevant documents in question and we have formally asked Empire for written notice of where we stand."
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/NEWS/802080334
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