| Tioga Downs | |
|---|---|
| Location | Nichols, New York |
| Address | 2384 West River Road, Nichols, NY 13812 |
| Opening date | June 9, 2006 |
| Theme | County-Fair |
| No. of rooms | 0 |
| Total gaming space | 808 machines |
| Notable restaurants | Carousel Bar Coasters Sports Bar Subway County Fair Buffet |
| Casino type | Racino |
| Owner | Jeffrey Gural, CEO of American Racing and Entertainment, LLC; Thomas Osiecki, President and General Manager American Racing, Tom Murray Security Supervisor, Dave Miller, Director of Security, Katie Krapf Events Coordinator, Anita Wintermute EMT |
| Architect | CGL Architects |
| Website | Tioga Downs Casino |
Tioga Downs is a county-fair-themed standardbred racetrack (5/8 mile) and racino located on a 138-acre (0.56 km2) site in Nichols, New York.
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Tioga Downs originally was a quarterhorse track known as "Tioga Park" in 1976, closing down after its third season. James Nuckel, then owner, stated that, "the track had been losing thousands of dollars a day and was still in the red after three years of operation" (New York Times, 1978). Thereafter, a few private races and the occasional flea market were held at the location.
In 2000, Jeffrey Gural, a real-estate executive, horse owner, and racing enthusiast, began lobbying for state approval of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) at racetracks. In 2005, they were approved. Shortly after Mr. Gural, with partnership from Nevada Gold and Casinos, bought the old Tioga Park for $32 Million (New York Times, 2006; Press and Sun Bulletin, 2006). A ground-breaking ceremony was held July 22, 2005.
On June 9, 2006, Tioga Downs opened, offering in addition to harness racing, simulcast betting, and over 750 VLTs. Tioga Downs has two bars, a Subway(TM) restaurant, banquet room, coffee/bakery shop, and buffet. It also has a stage area, which hosts concerts. Artists that appeared at Tioga Downs have included Chubby Checker, Vanilla Ice, Joan Jett, and Sister Sledge. During the warmer months, a trackside tent is available for wedding receptions, business meetings, parties, and awards' ceremonies. In 2011, The Tioga Downs Flea Market opened.
Tioga Downs has 808 VLTs, averaging ~92% payback. The racino offers player's club cards at two levels: progressive and jackpot. Outside the gaming room Quick Draw(TM) and instant lottery tickets are available. Inside the racino, keno, video poker, and slot machines are available. The largest progressive offered is typically $100,000+ at a group of 2-cent Hot Shot machines.
Tioga Downs schedules racing between May and September, typically on Friday and Saturday evenings (6:50 PM), and 1:30 PM on Sundays. The track record is 1:48.3, set in 2010, by Shark Gesture in the inaugural running of the $200,000 Bettor's Delight Pace.
Revenues from slot machines at Tioga Downs have steadily increased since opening in 2006. "Net wins" (defined as total credits wagered minus total credits won) was $30 million during the abbreviated fiscal year 2006-2007, $43 million 2007-2008, $48 million 2008-2009, $50 million 2009-2010, $54 million 2010-2011, and estimated $55-59 million 2011-2012. Today, each slot machine contributes ~$200 in revenue per day (New York Lottery, 2011).
Owner Jeff Gural has announced plans to build a hotel, convention center and shopping plaza on the grounds of Tioga Downs. However, no concrete plans have been announced or approved by local authorities. A local councilperson has also encouraged the New York State Assembly to consider introducing table games to the casino.