"Word that we are close to reaching an agreement on NYRA is truly a welcome development and is good news for the taxpayers, good news for the horsemen, good news for the breeders, and good news for Saratoga and racing fans. I have said from the very beginning that any deal on NYRA needed to reflect three core values: the preservation of our local racing product, protecting area taxpayers by ensuring that NYRA pays its fair share of taxes and ensuring the unique cultural and historical quality of our Saratoga Springs racetrack. The framework of the agreement appears to achieve all three of these tenets. I was pleased to have played a role in getting concrete language inserted into the agreement that protects taxpayers in the Saratoga host community. Going forward, I hope that all parties can learn a lesson from this situation and reject the kind of 'brinksmanship' approach to negotiating that led to the original deadline being missed and the future of New York racing - along with thousands of jobs and billions in investment and economic activity - being jeopardized."