Niagara Reporter
By Tony Farina
Spectacular numbers posted once again at Batavia Downs Gaming for the weekend of Feb. 2-4 with a record-setting $14 million in credits played at the gaming facility, nearly 5 percent more than the $13.379 million taken in during the 2023 New Year’s Eve weekend.
The announcement of the huge numbers, $14,048,499 to be exact, was made this week by Dennis Bassett, chairman of the board of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. and Henry Wojtaszek, president and CEO of the organization which continues to post the incredible returns at Batavia Downs, a regional hotspot just off the Thruway that continues to attract patrons in record numbers.
Bassett credited marketing efforts for the facility’s enormous continuing success, stating that in the highly competitive marketing for gaming dollars and entertainment spending, our marketing efforts show our venue “as the best value and best gaming experience in the region. The numbers don’t lie,” added Bassett.
Wojtaszek cited back-to-back, sold-out BBQ and Bourbon events on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 which drew more than 240 people in inside the events center, as well as local band Highway 31 in the Sports Bar Saturday night, and the cookware giveaway on Sunday. The facility’s 84-room hotel was sold out all weekend.
Wojtaszek credited word-of-mouth for the overwhelming success, saying “that type of grassroots publicity in invaluable in raising the recognition of our brand.”
It is absolutely unquestioned that Batavia Downs has become a major regional draw and destination, Basset and Wojtaszek said, creating a business within the venue but also a spin-off business for the Batavia economy.
The eye-popping returns also are of great benefit to the 15 counties and two cities that share in the profits of WROTBC to use as they see fit to boost their economies and help keep local taxes in check. Since its inception in 1973, that return to the supporting members has topped $240 million, and keeps growing every year.
