Community reacts to Belmont Stakes move

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Dec. 6 that the 2024 Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course on June 8, to allow for the uninterrupted reconstruction of Belmont Park.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin June 6 and conclude June 9, with 23 stakes races in total. This will be the 156th edition of the race, which first came to Belmont Park in 1905.

“As part of the exciting modernization of Belmont Park, Saratoga now adds to its storied history by hosting the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown,” Hochul said in a news release. “It’s a win for horse racing and for the Capital Region to have the excitement and the ability to host the four-day Festival in June at America’s most historic track.”

Julie Marchesella, president of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce, said that the move should not have any effect on businesses in the area. The annual prerace Paul Sapienza Parade will still be held on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont next year.

“NYRA is supporting us in our endeavor to keep the presence of the Stakes on Hempstead Turnpike,” Marchesella said, referring to the New York Racing Association.

The parade committee is still in discussions about the logistics of the event. Its starting and ending locations, as well as the date, have yet to be decided.

“Last year was one of our largest turnouts for the parade,” Marchesella said, “and we certainly don’t want to lose momentum,” she said.

There has been some pushback on the move, because it will likely mean a loss of revenue for businesses in Elmont and surrounding communities at the height of the 2024 horse racing season. State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick voiced her concerns about the economic impact in a news release.

“I join my neighbors from Elmont, Floral Park, Bellerose, and all of Nassau County in sharing my disappointment to hear that the Belmont Stakes will not be run at Belmont Park this year — and possibly next year as well,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said.

“While reconstruction of the historic racetrack is much needed, alternate plans should have been made to avoid this devastating loss,” she added. “I am urging Gov. Hochul to assist in addressing the needs of Belmont Park’s neighbors, particularly in underserved communities like Elmont. It is crucial to secure a substantial community benefit package that not only compensates for this year’s revenue loss but also facilitates future economic growth in the region.”

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said that the short-term inconvenience will be worth it in the long term, when the $455 million reconstruction of Belmont Park is completed. The work will include an upgrade of the 117-year-old track, and it is estimated that it will generate $1 billion in construction-related impact, including $155 million in annual economic activity as well as the creation of 3,700 construction jobs and 740 new full-time positions. The renovations will bring the “modern hospitality offerings fans expect” to the historic facility, Hochul said in the news release.

Once the reconstruction is complete, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be welcomed back to New York for the first time since 2005.

Seasonal workers who usually work during the Belmont Stakes will have the opportunity to reach out to the state’s labor department about employment opportunities for the race upstate, according to Solages. Vendors who traditionally work the race festival will have opportunities to do so in Saratoga, she added. Additionally, Belmont Park will create a career center to help its workers find employment.

The New York Racing Association said in September that it also intended to move the 2025 Belmont Stakes to Saratoga as the reconstruction of Belmont Park continues. The decision remains subject to the approval of the Franchise Oversight Board and the state Gaming Commission, which is approved on an annual basis.

"Belmont Park will always be the home of the Belmont Stakes," said Patrick McKenna, vice president of communciations for the New York Racing Association. "The temporary move to Saratoga is made necessary by a transformational project to construct a new, world-class Belmont Park that New York can be proud of."

Prior to and following the Belmont event, the Belmont spring/summer meet will take place at the Aqueduct Racetrack. The fall meet that is customarily held at Belmont Park will also be shifted to Aqueduct in 2024 as construction continues.

Solages said that the redevelopment would create a whole new environment and atmosphere for the park and for the surrounding community.

“There’s still people coming into the community and spending money — there’s still something to celebrate,” she said. “The UBS Arena did a wonderful function highlighting the Belmont Stakes. There are still opportunities to involve the community in the celebration of the Belmont Stakes. So, you know, I think we just need to be creative for a year or two, but be prepared for the excitement that’s going to happen when we have a brand new grandstand.”