Presque Isle Downs & Casino earns more racing revenue in 2022 despite fewer horses
Neither rain showers nor 30 mph wind gusts kept Jeff Chase from his favorite outdoor spot, a metal table overlooking the Presque Isle Downs & Casino race track's finish line.
Chase, a restaurant owner from Warren County, has attended every live horse race this season at the Summit Township track. He was there Oct. 19 in monsoon-like conditions and returned the next afternoon despite temperatures in the lower 40s.
"The cold doesn't bother me. I'm wearing long johns," Chase said with a laugh. "Many of the others go inside (the casino) between races, then come out when the horses reach the starting gate. It's too crowded in there. I like it outside."
Chase said he was committed to attending each live racing day this season. With 89 dates, it was the Downs' longest public meeting since 2019. No spectators were permitted in 2020 and the season was just 52 dates long in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More: Presque Isle Downs returns to 100-day meet with earlier post time
Fewer horses available to race
But race track officials dealt with other challenges in 2022. Rising fuel costs prevented some thoroughbred owners from transporting their horses to Erie, reducing the average number of horses in each race from 7.2 to 6.6, said Matt Ennis, the Downs' director of finance and racing.
PID also planned to host up to 100 days of live horse racing, but downsized the schedule over the summer. The season was scheduled to end Thursday.
"We had to eliminate 10 race days this season because of our horse population," Ennis said. "Foal crops are down and the number of available horses is down. This is an issue at many tracks."
Racing fans like Chase also had to adjust to an earlier post time, as the first race started at 1:30 p.m. instead of 4:45 p.m. Races have been scheduled Mondays through Wednesdays or Thursdays, depending on the week.
The change was done to increase PID's off-track handle, the amount people bet while watching simulcasts of the races at other race tracks, off-track betting parlors or on their phones, televisons or computers.
The earlier post time made it impossible for people who work traditional 9-to-5 jobs to attend the races, unless they took a vacation day, said John Currier, a 50-year-old Erie man who was at the track Oct. 20 with his mother, Kathleen Delve, 73.
"I wish they would go back to a later post time," Currier said. "A lot of people work during the day and they would like to watch a few races after work."
Others enjoy the earlier post time, including Karen and Roger Beckwith, who nursed hot drinks as they walked between the paddock and track before the fourth race on Oct. 20.
"It has worked out great for us because we're retired," said Karen Beckwith, 67.
Longer season leads to more revenue for Presque Downs in 2022
PID has seen an increase in its in-person and off-track handles from 2021, though it's due to a longer season, according to data from the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.
The track earned $51.6 million in off-track betting and $1.1 million in live in-person betting through Sept. 30 compared to $39.7 million and $1.4 million during all of 2021.
However, PID earned $16.3 million of its 2022 total in May, a month in which live racing wasn't held in 2021. It earned less in 2022 than the previous year in both August and September.
"The cost of fuel has had an impact," Ennis said. "There have been times when (horse owners) wouldn't ship horses here because of the cost."
PID plans to host live racing again in 2023, Ennis said. It is required to offer racing because it has a Category 1 gaming license, which was created to boost the state's horse racing industry.
More: Presque Isle Downs fined, security officer fired after underage women gambled at casino
Ennis said PID officials will meet with the management at Churchill Downs Inc., which owns the track and casino, in early 2023 to decide what time and days live racing will be held next season.
"Deciding what is the best post time is challenging," Ennis said. "We'll make a decision in early 2023 so there's enough time for the horse owners and trainers to prepare."
Casino sees increase in non-racing revenue
PID saw an increase in non-horse racing revenue in fiscal 2021-22 (July through June), nearly reaching the total it had earned before the pandemic. According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's annual report:
Total non-racing revenue (by fiscal year):
2018-19: $129.6 million
2020-21: $101.6 million
2021-22: $128 million
Slot machines revenue:
2018-19: $114.9 million
2020-21: $79.3 million
2021-22: $100.2 million
Table games revenue:
2018-19: $14.7 million
2020-21: $14 million
2021-22: $14.5 million
Sports wagering and iGaming revenue:
2018-19: No revenue
2020-21: $3.5 million and $4.8 million
2021-22: $4.3 million and $9 million
Though revenues have nearly reached pre-pandemic levels, PID's employment numbers remain well below those figures, according to the report.
The Downs employed a total of 549 employees in 2021-22, including 141 who worked table games, compared to 750 total employees and 197 who worked tables games in 2018-19.
PID currently has about 100 job openings, and a lack of employees has caused officials to limit services throughout the casino and track, General Manager Gary Hendricks said in an email. That includes reopening its poker room, which is presently filled with nonoperating slot machines.
"We're struggling like most businesses throughout the country to find employees," Hendricks said. "For example, we're having to reduce our menu size at Churchill's Bourbon & Brew because we need cooks. Same with table games. There are times when we can't open all of the games due to staffing availability."
PID is offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus for table game dealers. For information, visit presqueisledowns.com/were-hiring.
David Bruce can be reached at dbruce@timesnews.com or on Twitter at @ETNBruce.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Presque Isle Downs posts higher revenue in 2021-22 despite fewer horses
