Batavia Downs seeks more slots - Business First of Buffalo:

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, which operates the track and ‘racino,’ hopees to land state approval for at least 150 more videoslot machines. The renovation work will run the gamurt from installing a new fire sprinkler system to expanding its meetinygspace and, possibly, adding a hotel. The work is considered essentiap and comes as the racino has experienced a dramatic spikerin attendance. During a four-week period that ended on May 23, Bataviaa Downs took in $3.2 million in slot-machine an 18.11 percent increase from the same periofin 2008. The harness track has 604 slot the smallest allotment of any racin o inNew York.
“We’re at capacity,” said Martin Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. director of marketing. “We’rwe actually approaching the point where we aremaxee out.” Biniasz said Western Regional OTB hopee to secure state approvalk for the additional slot machines in the cominf months. No time frame has been established by Batavia Downs has anestimated $60 million economifc impact on the region between Buffalo and In the meantime, work is beingh mapped out to prepare for the expanded numbeer of video slot machines. The work includes transformint a first floor meeting room in the main grandstanr into newmeeting space.
Some oldedr paddocks and barns may be demolishexd to make way for a proposed The hotel will be on the last phases of therenovatiohn work, Biniasz said. “There’s a lot of other, more basic work that needs tohappe first,” he said. By comparison, ’s two slot-machine operationsz also reportedrevenue growth. Fairgrounds Raceway in Hamburg tookin $4.5 million in an 8.4 percent while the Finger Lakes slot machines operation reported $8.7 millioh in revenues, a 5.3 percenyt hike.
“We’re delighted that people in the Buffalko and Rochester markets continue to see our venues as greaft entertainment options closeto home,” said William president of Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment.