By Nick Buglione
"We've been exploring the idea for the past two years, and we have been working closely with the New York City OTB," said Joe Galante, Nassau OTB spokesman. "New York City OTB has had great success in attracting new patrons by bringing horse racing right into neighborhood restaurants."
Potter's Pub, a 100-seat bar and grill at 2045 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow, could be one of the first restaurants in Nassau to offer horse race gambling, Galante said.
"We have no contract with the restaurant at the present time," he said, adding that the details of a possible deal are still being worked out. Nassau OTB also plans to make public presentations on the project and gather feedback from the community. Representatives were scheduled to attend the April 28 East Meadow Civic Association meeting, but they canceled.
Nassau OTB officials say that having horse race gambling in restaurants would allow them to target a classier clientele -- high rollers who don't necessarily want to bet in regular OTB branches.
"Branches tend to not be the nicest of places," Galante said. "Larger bettors are the type of people who don't want to be at the branches, who want a nicer environment."
If the project moves forward, Potter's Pub would have two OTB cashiers and one or two automatic betting machines, as well as televisions throughout the restaurant featuring horse races. Early OTB estimates indicate that Potter's Pub could produce about $10,000 in betting revenue -- "handle," as it's called in the industry -- per day. The restaurant would be responsible for the site's upkeep and would be entitled to 1 percent of the handle, Galante said.
Only restaurant patrons would be allowed to place bets, according to Michael Amitrano, Potter's Pub's owner. "We'll be very adamant about that," he said. "We don't want the OTB parlor atmosphere."
No signs would be posted outside the restaurant to indicate OTB's presence, Galante said. Still, local residents and merchants worry about the type of people an OTB of any sort might attract.
"Have you ever been in an OTB? What kind of people are in there?" said George Strifas, owner of the nearby Colony Diner. Strifas learned about the proposal from local patrons, who, he said, appear to be just as opposed to the idea as he is. "I don't think it's going to be good for the neighborhood. It's going to attract less-than-desirable people," he said.
Strifas also worries about the potential parking problems, noting that Potter's is inside a shopping center with a 22-space lot. "There's no parking for it," he said. "I don't understand how you get a variance for that."
Galante said that adding OTB wouldn't greatly increase the number of patrons that the restaurant already has; however, he did say the facility should help Potter's attract customers during usually slow hours. "Our busy hours are between 1 and 5 p.m., when thoroughbred horse racing is on; that's restaurant down time, between lunch and dinner," he said.
Amitrano stressed that if adding OTB to his restaurant negatively impacts the community, he'll "pull the plug."
New York City OTB has had success running seven similar facilities inside restaurants throughout the five boroughs, including the Irish Circle in Rockaway, Queens.
That site has been a welcomed addition to the neighborhood, said one community representative there. "We've not heard one complaint regarding that restaurant," said Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14, which covers Rockaway. In New York City, local community boards play an advisory role in zoning and land-use issues, handle civic complaints, and serve as a conduit between residents and city agencies.
"They invested a lot of money into the restaurant and upgraded the inside and outside," Gaska said. "They added a parking lot, which they did not have before, and that made the community very happy."
