As of Sunday, the Off Track Betting in New Dorp on Staten Island has been officially closed. This OTB, along with other locations in New York City has been struggling financially for months now. It is said that while OTB does bring in a lot of money, the amount that has to be handed over to the state has resulted in minimal profit.
There are a total of four Off Track Betting locations on the Island. The one in New Dorp closed this past Sunday, and the other three in Port Richmond, New Springville, and Eltingville are safe for now. The NYCOTB company has been successful for decades, but is now planning on laying off over one thousand of its employees this coming June. As of right now, it is unclear whether the company is going to shut down completely.
The closure of this particular branch of OTB is one of many closures taking place in New York City to help cut costs in an attempt to save the company as a whole. This branch was home to thirteen employees who have been transferred to other locations. “It is very surprising to hear. I mean OTB has been here [in New Dorp] for years. There are lots of lonely old guys who hang out there everyday. I guess they’re going to have to find somewhere else to go now,” says Phil, a retired cop and someone who frequented the New Dorp branch of OTB.
For more about O.T.B. closings, visit:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=5967167