1. What Happens When a Casino
Comes to Town?
Considering Environmental Impacts of an
Expanded Casino & Destination Resort in
Saratoga Springs, NY

2. Things Start To Change…
“Every large-scale development
changes the community it’s located in
and those communities surrounding it;
a casino is no different.”
–Marc Draisen, Metro Area Planning Council, Milford, MA
…In Our City in the Country

3. Rural-Residential Concerns
• Casinos in rural-residential areas
expose neighbors to increased
traffic, noise, and light pollution well
beyond that experienced with the
existing harness-racing track.
–IHHAAC Board, MD, July 2013

4. 200 Rooms – Requires
at at least 27,000
gallons of water a day.
5 Story Hotel – Seen from
every direction within
residential neighborhoods.
Increased parking for 2.5 million
guests per year– increased
impermeable surfaces and
storm-water run off.
Racino will incur another
expansion if the Casino
license is awarded.
Increased Light Pollution
Increased traffic through
neighborhoods to accommodate
the increased number of guests &
service deliveries anticipated.
Removal of extant green
space for expansion
In May 2013, the Racino proposed this Hotel Resort expansion.
This does NOT include the casino expansion.

5. If this stays
here this
“We are planning a $30 million expansionas spring to include a
planned…
120-room hotel, performance center, restaurant & other attractions…
If it’s awarded, another
expansion would be necessary.”
-James Featherstonhaugh, 25% Racino shareholder
Then where does
the second
expansion go?
Then the hotel goes
here…

6. Water
• Resort-style casinos require a great deal of water. A 200 room hotel
at 90% capacity uses 27,000 gallons of water per day. That’s
810,000 gallons per month, 9.7 gallons of water a year. This does
not include pools or spas. – 4Hotelier News
• Casino & Destination Resorts often require their own water
treatment plants and/or wells when placed in Rural/Residential
areas. Wells allow casino resorts to avert paying for City water.
•
-Racino Digs Well For Water, TribToday.com, October 29, 2013
• Saratoga already has significant water delivery issues. Restort-style
casinos require a great deal of water, energy, raising issues of waste
& sewage disposal. – Smith College, The Environment Implacation of Allowing Resort
Casinos, Chazin & Onuzo.
• Large paved parking lots create water drainage issues, requiring
water basins. Nelson Avenue is already plagued with water drainage
issues.
WHERE WILL ALL THIS WATER COME FROM?

7. Traffic & Light Pollution
• Cities often under-estimate traffic predictions
-patrons, tourist buses, service trucks - and
often do not take into account traffic patterns
on residential roads. –Greenbelt Alliaten, Baylands, CA
• Increased traffic…potentially ovewhelming
current infrastructure and more greenhouse
gas emissions. –Smith College, Ibid.

8. The Saratoga Racino currently operates from 9am-4am. A casino license allows
operation for 24 hours. A five room hotel & casino expansion will only add to current
light pollution in this residential neighborhood.

9. Green Space Effects
Wetlands tributary of Kaydeross Creek.
These tributaries are already IMPAIRED waterways on the DEC List.

10. Casinos Are Big Developments…
• Big developments bring changes.
• Changes can begin quietly & slowly.
• Often people who live in surrounding areas are
unaware of what’s happening.
• Rezoning in anticipation of big changes is already
occurring.
• Before you know it, your City in the Country is:
• At Risk
• Threatened
• Gone

11. Once zoned Rural-Residential, the beautiful farmland across from the
Racino has recently and quietly been rezoned as Institutional Horse. What
does that mean?
This property is now zoned to accommodate: Eating & Drinking
establishments, Entertainment venues, Helicopter pad, and Pari-mutual
hotels.

12. Sounds Good Right?
This is a proposal for the Saratoga Springs Greenbelt Trail system.
A great trail system which connects the
entire City in the Country including:
•
•
•
•
Skidmore College
Broadway
Spa State Park
And Lake Lonely

13. This gateway property
recently rezoned for Turf
Hotel Development –
Tourist Industries
Gideon Putnam
Hotel &
Spa, Delaware
North, Operated by
Genting Casino
Company
Saratoga
National
30.7 Acres
Owned by
BHMD Inc. &
Harness Racing
Inc.
Darley Stud
Management –
Rezoned for Parimutual hotels
800 Acres poised
for new
Destination
Resort Zoning
The Greenbelt Trail (shown in green) is proposed to travel along Crescent Avenue, directly
connecting the Gideon Putnam Hotel to the Racino, to Saratoga National Golf Course and
ultimately to Lake Lonely.

14. What does that mean?
Large developers seek to change over 800 acres of
Saratoga Springs’ current
RURAL ZONING
and turn it into
RESORT ZONING

15. What Our Green Belt Could Include in
RESORT ZONING:
• Golf Academy Building
• Equestrian Center/Riding Stable
• Residential – single family, apartments and/or
condominiums
• Spa and Fitness Center
• Hotel lodging and associate amenities
• Golf cottages, bed and breakfast type lodging
• Affordable / workforce housing
• Retail space

16. Be Aware…
• When developers in this Resort Zone offer to pay
for these gifts:
• Trails
• Walkways
• Biking
• Recreation areas
They Often Come With A Hefty Cost to The City:
• Zoning Changes Favoring Dense Development
• Negative Environmental Impacts
• Traffic, Noise & Light Pollution, Water issues

17. “Our greenbelt was put into place for the benefit
of future generations, not so investors can use
their influence to whittle away at our land and
open space.” - Greenbelt Alliance, Baylands, CA

18. Is Our City In the Country at Risk?
• The expanded casino at Saratoga Casino &
Raceway will be built away from our urban
core.
• This is direct opposition to the City’s working
Comprehensive Plan.
• The new casino will border Saratoga’s
Greenbelt, making it a…
CASINO IN THE COUNTRY.

19. When it Comes to Casino Expansion:
• THERE IS:
• NO COMPROMISE
• NO PROMISE
• NO GIFT
THEY CAN MAKE THAT WE CAN TRUST
OR BUILD OUR FUTURE ON.
• THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.
• Saratogians build our past and should
build our future.