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Monmouth gets OK for fix-up cash
Message was posted: 08:20 Jul 20th, 2006

User: SierraRose Rank: Casino Gold: 629CG Contributor rating: 3560 Status: Offline

Gambling News Source: http://www.nj.com Monmouth gets OK for fix-up cash BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN Star-Ledger Staff The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority promised to spend as much as $15 million to fix up Monmouth Park before the Breeders' Cup next year, and now it is doing it. At its monthly meeting yesterday, the sports authority approved $3.8 million in renovations at the Oceanport facility, which will host the Breeders' Cup races. The Breeders' Cup is the richest day in U.S. thoroughbred racing, featuring eight races with purses of more than $1 million each. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us," said Chris McErlean, a top racing executive at the sports authority. The sports authority already installed a new $4.5 million turf track at Monmouth. Yesterday the board approved a $153,000 roof for the cafeteria, a $248,000 upgrade to the electrical system, a $1.75 million sound and video system, a $267,000 phone system and a $1.4 million project to improve three road bridges at the track. George Zoffinger, the sports authority's chief executive, said gas lines run beneath the bridges, so if the bridges ever failed, the results could be catastrophic. The renovations are being paid for with money from some $25 million in bonds the sports authority issued early this year to cover the costs of the renovations. In addition, the sports authority approved using money from those bonds for an $11 million renovation and expansion of the paddock area behind the Meadowlands Racetrack. The building, which is used as a warm-up area for horses participating in harness races, has been scheduled for a renovation and expansion for nearly a decade. It can accommodate warm-ups for roughly seven races, but the Meadowlands Racetrack regularly runs 13 races each night and needs a bigger facility. A partnership between J. Fletcher Creamer & Son and Sanzari Enterprises will be responsible for performing the work on the Meadowlands facility.