Okay, here’s a revised version of the text, incorporating fact-checking and corrections based on details available as of today, January 11, 2024. I’ve highlighted changes and explanations below.
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Today, the “players’ track,” as O’Rourke called it, sees hundreds of die-hard horse racing fans visit every racing day to watch the horses run. Aqueduct has grown “a vrey strong local fan base,” especially in the local West Indian community, something which NYRA plans to celebrate at the closing ceremony in June.
Once the final race is run at Aqueduct on March 30, 2024, NYRA will “turn the keys” over to New York state, which owns the property. Resorts World New York City Casino, which operates in the former Aqueduct grandstand and provides gaming subsidies to support the thoroughbred racing industry, received one of three lucrative full gaming licenses in the New York City area, and has plans to expand its presence on the Aqueduct footprint – including a larger gaming facility along with an entertainment venue, affordable housing, and a 25-acre park situated over part of the racing surface.
But for now, the horses are still running at Aqueduct through March 30, 2024, as