Vernon Downs Delays Start Of Harness Racing Amid Losses

VERNON, N.Y. (AP) — The owner of Vernon Downs casino and race track in central New York says the seasonal start of harness racing will be delayed amid new gambling competition.

Horse racing was set to start April 21. But owner Jeff Gural says opening day will be delayed as Vernon Downs deals with financial losses due to added competition. Gural cited new casinos in Schenectady and the Finger Lakes and a third casino opened by the Oneida Indians east of Syracuse in 2015.

Gural says Vernon Downs loses money on racing, "so opening racing now only makes a bad situation worse."

Vernon Downs has asked state officials for tax relief.