Fort Erie race track sold

The new owners of the Fort Erie Race Track were introduced to the public today. They are three investors from Buffalo and one from Fort Erie.

One of the principles here is Carl Paladino, the largest landlord in Buffalo. Last week, we were told it would be some kind of development that would drive more traffic to the track. That it doesn’t hinge on the slots being brought back. But today, they were coy about what their plans are. At one point, talking about an amusement park

Carl Paladino, Fort Erie Race Track owner: “Generally, the vision is to provide, not only a one or two day event type of use in addition to the track, but to provide another type of event product here. But also to provide all the support services that go along with the new race track, the growth of this track and the other big events that would be brought here. I think it was a terrible time when they actually shut down Crystal Beach, I could never figure that out. I thought Crystal Beach — well, when you grew up near there and went every summer — it was a destination and it was known to everybody and it brought people up there who had never been over. Right now, all you really get are the American residents coming to stay over here. But there’s a whole segment of the population that’s misdirected now and they’re going off to Darien Lake.”

Someone in the know told us that their plans include building a hotel on the race track property. But, in any case, everybody here is happy that this group purchased the track. They are all local. They’re Buffalo and Fort Erie. They know the race track. And they want it to succeed.