Gambling news from http://www.concordmonitor.com/
ohn York returned to the greyhound track at Belmont yesterday for the first time in more than a year. The previous owners closed the track in April 2005, when they were losing money in the wake of indictments of two employees for illegal gambling.
York, 60, a Sunday regular from Belmont, said the new digs, which include a steakhouse, blues club and new carpets, are nice but don't do much for him.
"The only reason I'm here is because my right knee has gone to hell and I can't walk," said York, claiming arthritis from 30 years as a car washer in Florida. He said he was just glad to get his local gambling spot back.
The dog track, called The Lodge at Belmont, held a grand opening yesterday to some mild fanfare. The new owner, Marlin Torguson, who has several casinos on the Gulf Coast, cut a red ribbon with oversized toy scissors. Miss New Hampshire USA Krystal Barry handed out tickets for Red Sox games and free buffet dinners to raffle winners. And town Selectman Brian Watterson proclaimed the revitalization of the park and return of quality entertainment to the area.
Speakers didn't mention the Lakes Region Greyhound Park, which closed last year amid turmoil. Federal prosecutors alleged that Richard Hart and Jonathan Broome, two managers, were part of a five-state, $200 million illegal off-shore gambling network. Members of the ownership group, the New Hampshire Gaming Association, sued each other for mismanagement of the track and for interfering with one of the owner's attempts to transfer some of her ownership stake to her daughters-in-law.
When the park closed, about 50 employees lost their jobs. About 20 of the 113 new employees at The Lodge worked at the track before, said Lisa Fernandes, the human resources manager. Fernandes herself worked at a Laconia deli during the past year after she was laid off from the track. "It's a lot better than the deli," she said. "I loved my job at Lakes Region."
"I'm glad they called me back,"said Melissa Bivens, a beverage manager at one of the restaurant bars. "I'm very fortunate." She spent the 13 months off caring for her newborn son.
Si and Paul Therrien, a retired couple from Nashua, returned to the track yesterday. Before it closed in April 2005, they drove to Belmont at least once a week to bet on the dogs on the track and the horse races shown on televisions. They marveled at the track's new amenities.
Paul, 74, a former chemist who is now legally blind, watched the races by parking his face inches from a television, as his wife played an electronic handheld game of Scrabble and described how the track has changed.
"You used to be able to only get popcorn and hot dogs in the old days," said Si, who began attending the track with her husband seven years ago. "It used to be like a clam shack, before. There was no carpeting, only tile. And the restaurants have changed." The old sports bar is now two restaurants, Blues-ology and 106 Prime.
When Turguson, the owner, introduced his staff, he pointed out his chef, standing off to the side wearing a white chef's coat. "He comes with a whole pile of medals that he hangs around his chest," he said. "He worked for Brennan's. That's the biggest family name in New Orleans."
Jimmy Agiastolis was another Sunday regular at the old Lakes Region track. When it closed, he took his money to Seabrook Greyhound Park. "This place is quiet,"he said. "I like this place better. But I got to get used to it. It was different, but this has more TVs."
Agiastolis, 54, a pizza chef from Wolfeboro, won $600 the first time he bet on horses in 1974. Yesterday, he complained that it was difficult to get the racing forms, which bettors use to pick their horses for the televised races. Instead, he was forced to look for the horses' names and odds on one of the nine flat-screen televisions mounted on the wall. He said he was holding off on placing large bets until he gets into a rhythm.
"I just bet a little," he said. "I'm just waiting for the night time races. The daytime is almost over. And we got interrupted when they asked everyone to stand (for the speeches)." He said, however, that he's not superstitious.
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