Vernon Downs Once Again at Risk of Closing

Vernon Downs may be forced to close their doors if they don't get tax relief help from the state.

The New York State Senate passed a bill that would allow tax relief but the Assembly still has to vote and time is running out.

With only a week left in the legislative session the owner of Vernon Downs, Jeff Gural, fears closing the doors on one of the area's biggest employers. Gural said in a statement,

I am extremely disappointed that the New York State Assembly has yet to join the Senate in passing a bill that would ensure the survival of Vernon Downs. Vernon Downs, is an integral piece of the fabric of this community -- we employ hundreds of local workers, we provide millions of dollars in taxes to the local community and we offer a beautiful venue for the people of this region and state to enjoy.  It appears that the legislation is tied up in larger Albany negotiations, but we are hopeful that at the end of the day the Assembly will join the Senate in passing legislation that will help Vernon Downs keep its doors open.

Gural says every day they stay open the more money they ultimately lose. That has forced Gural to take steps to being the closing process. Despite these steps being taken, Vernon Downs will continue their racing schedule until November and the hotel will remain open until December to fulfill reservations of events and weddings.

According to New York State Labor laws Vernon Downs is required to give 90-day notice of loss of employment to workers. To ensure compliance of these laws Vernon Downs has announced the closing dates of the casino and restaurants. The casino is slated to shut down on September 10th, 2017. Some restaurants will only be open until November 11th, 2017 with more closing on December 18th, 2017.

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