A coalition of allied horse racing interests on Monday is set to launch a six-figure ad purchase to promote upgrades at Belmont Park on Long Island.
The ad campaign will highlight the economic effects of the proposed construction, including 740 full-time jobs as well as 3,700 construction jobs. The construction is also estimated by supporters to have a $1 billion economic impact.
At the same time, the ad campaign from We Are Horse Racing will also highlight local support for the Belmont Park upgrades. The facility hosts the Belmont Stakes each year, the third leg of Thoroughbred racing's triple crown.
But before the project can go forward, officials are seeking state assistance: The New York Racing Association needs bonding authority to move ahead with the project, which will include a new grandstand.
Budget negotiations are set to begin in earnest in the coming weeks.
“Belmont Park has hosted some of the most iconic moments in sports history, but unlike every stadium and arena in the region, it hasn’t been substantially updated in decades and no longer meets fans’ expectations," said Jack Sterne, a spokesman for the coalition. "Modernizing Belmont Park is an economic development imperative that will generate $1 billion in economic activity, 3,700 construction jobs and 740 new full-time jobs — all while securing the future of horse racing in New York for generations to come. As we head into budget season, these ads will help ensure Gov. Hochul, Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie understand the importance of this project and the fact that a supermajority of New Yorkers supports a new Belmont Park.”
The We Are Horse Racing coalition, formed last year, is composed of statewide and local business entities that have pointed to the economic benefits of upgrading one park as having implications for the whole of the industry in New York.