Relates to the right to hold race meetings and races after sunset at Belmont Park, only at the main track in its current configuration, but only if such races conclude before 10:30 P.M. and only occur on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5270
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to the right to hold race meetings and races at Belmont Park;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
PURPOSE:
An act to permit limited night racing at Belmont Park racetrack.
SUMMARY:
Section 1. Amends section 203 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law by adding subdivision 2.
Section 2. Sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Permitting night racing can provide a number of benefits for horse
tracks, including increased revenue and attracting new audiences. Night
racing allows for more races to be held, which can increase the revenue
generated by the track by creating more opportunities for betting. Night
racing also has the potential to attract a different audience than
daytime racing. Some people may prefer to attend races in the evening,
which can bring in new fans and customers. Horsetracks can recruit new
generations of fans to secure a long-term future in New York as younger
generations often prefer nightlife. Recognizing the success that other
venues across the country have had conducting night racing, NYRA intends
to conduct racing a few nights a week during the annual Belmont Park
meet, allowing fans to spectate races during non-work hours.
RACIAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
GENDER JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A7036; referred to racing & wagering.
2021-22: A4955; referred to racing & wagering.
2019-20: A3036; referred to racing & wagering.
2017-18: A8489; referred to racing & wagering.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed 4 years after the first night of racing conducted after sunset
pursuant to this act; provided that the New York Racing Association
shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission of the date of
such night of racing in order that the conithission may maintain an
accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws
of the state of New York in furtherance of effecting the provisions of
section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public offi-
cers law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5270
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Racing and Wagering
AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to the right to hold race meetings and races at Belmont Park;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
of
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 203 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breed-
2 ing law, as amended by chapter 18 of the laws of 2008, is amended to
3 read as follows:
4 § 203. Right to hold race meetings and races. 1. Any corporation
5 formed under the provisions of this article, if so claimed in its
6 certificate of organization, and if it shall comply with all the
7 provisions of this article, and any other corporation entitled to the
8 benefits and privileges of this article as hereinafter provided, shall
9 have the power and the right to hold one or more running race meetings
10 in each year, and to hold, maintain and conduct running races at such
11 meetings. At such running race meetings the corporation, or the owners
12 of horses engaged in such races, or others who are not participants in
13 the race, may contribute purses, prizes, premiums or stakes to be
14 contested for, but no person or persons other than the owner or owners
15 of a horse or horses contesting in a race shall have any pecuniary
16 interest in a purse, prize, premium or stake contested for in such race,
17 or be entitled to or receive any portion thereof after such race is
18 finished, and the whole of such purse, prize, premium or stake shall be
19 allotted in accordance with the terms and conditions of such race. Races
20 conducted by a franchised corporation shall be permitted only between
21 sunrise and sunset.
22 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a fran-
23 chised corporation shall be permitted to conduct races after sunset at
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09162-01-5
A. 5270 2
1 the Belmont Park racetrack, only on the main track in its current
2 configuration, but only if such races conclude before half past ten
3 o'clock post meridian and only if such races occur on Thursdays, Fridays
4 or Saturdays. The franchised corporation shall coordinate with a harness
5 racing association or corporation authorized to operate in Westchester
6 county to ensure that the starting times of all such races are stag-
7 gered.
8 3. A track first licensed after January first, nineteen hundred nine-
9 ty, shall not conduct the simulcasting of thoroughbred races within
10 district one, in accordance with article ten of this chapter on days
11 that a franchised corporation is not conducting a race meeting. In no
12 event shall thoroughbred races conducted by a track first licensed after
13 January first, nineteen hundred ninety be conducted after eight o'clock
14 post meridian.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
16 deemed repealed 4 years after the first night of racing conducted after
17 sunset pursuant to this act; provided that the New York Racing Associ-
18 ation shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission of the date
19 of such night of racing in order that the commission may maintain an
20 accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws
21 of the state of New York in furtherance of effecting the provisions of
22 section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public offi-
23 cers law.
