
Courtesy of NYRA
By Paul Post
All-sources and average daily handle were both up and paid attendance totaled more than 1 million at this year’s Saratoga Race Course meet, despite the loss of a full day’s action because of severe weather.
The addition of Saratoga’s first-ever, four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in June generated significant extra momentum for the regular summer meet, which concluded on Labor Day Monday, September 2.
Combined with major entertainment at other venues such as Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the impact was extremely positive for local businesses.
“Our lodging partners had a strong summer season actualizing year over year growth in both occupancy and average daily rate,” Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri said. “June alone saw a nearly 20 percent increase in revenue year over year due to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. These strong increases came off a record year for lodging in 2023.”
“The unique combination of the Belmont Stakes and our traditional summer meet created a vibrant atmosphere that drew visitors from near and far, benefiting restaurants, shops and other local businesses,” he said. “These events not only strengthened our economy, but also once again reinforced the fact that Saratoga Springs is a world-class destination for horse racing, and helped to shine a spotlight on our destination as a whole; that we can host world-class events in Saratoga County.”