SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, May 20, 2010--Yesterday we posted a piece regarding the dire situation facing New York racing and its impact on the city of Saratoga. It focused on recent political developments regarding a bridge loan to keep a racing operation that produces significant annual revenue for the deficit-ridden state in business.

The column addressed other issues, too, such as what the Saratoga race meet means to an area that stretches more than 100 miles from the state capital of Albany to Schroon Lake, a popular vacation destination about a 70-minute drive up the Northway from the race course.

I thought the piece might engender empathy. After all, this region is no different than any other in America these days when it comes to fiscal issues, especially in light of the most recent unemployment figures indicating that the recovery from the Great Recession is nowhere near complete.

Instead of empathy, however, the immediate reaction to the realities of the situation was bitterness and a little gloating, reasoning that the area would be getting only what it deserves for gouging area visitors for all these years.

“The losers at NYRA want losers to bail them out... Saratoga businesses who have been gouging visitors for ages have it coming to them if people don’t show or go to Monmouth instead. $300 for piece of crap hotel rooms for the privilege of being in Saratoga and overpaying for food? Sca-roo you!”

“Sure, the businesses surrounding Saratoga racetrack benefit tremendously financially when racing moves upstate; however, the entrepreneurs have been gouging racetrack patrons for years along with NYRA itself; seems that both have killed the goose,” wrote another.

Excuse my provincialism but I just can’t let this stand. The following is a personal incident that I hope will put the comments above into some kind of context.

Two years ago, I went to South Florida for the Gulfstream meet. I rented a mid-size car for a period of eight or nine days, can‘t remember. What I do recall was that the bill was nearly $1,100.

“It’s spring break, sir,” the agent said, “demand is very high.” I called four different companies; the difference in savings was negligible.

This year I went to the Louisiana Derby, thinking that, among other factors, I could help the New Orleans economy in some small way. The hotel rates were higher than I expected but I finally was able to secure a horsemen’s rate through the Fair Grounds Race Course.

“It reflects the season,” I was told. “The rates will be cheaper next week,” which was of little help since the Louisiana Derby is run in late March, not April.

When it comes to Saratoga I admit to being defensive. Even though I’m still somewhat treated as an outlier by some locals, despite having moved here nine years ago, I resent the implication that this area dog-ears the pockets of visitors, grabs them by the ankles and begins shaking them up and down.

It is expensive to visit during the race meet? Of course. But my question is compared to what. Florida and Louisiana in season? The Hamptons in August? Nantucket in July? Saratoga merchants are altruists compared to tariffs charged in other popular tourist destinations.

Racetrack prices? Well, they don’t charge $25 or more to park the way some sports venues in New York do. They don’t charge hundreds a seat for a day at the races, the way they do for a baseball game at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium where a beer costs 10 bucks. And I won’t even discuss Personal Seating Licenses.

Yes, you could dine at Siro’s, or the Lodge, for a C-note per person--with a moderately priced wine, that is. But you can still order an entrée for two at Augie’s in Ballston Spa for $25 and have enough left over for the next night.

It’s still possible to get a turkey dinner at Winslow’s for under $10 and if you want to drive 30 minutes, you can still find reasonably priced rooms.

There’s always going to be a premium paid for seasonality and exclusivity. Saratoga doesn’t corner the market on that kind of excess. It’s the law of supply and demand, American style.

Now if you want to say that it costs too much money to attend a boutique race meet while the biggest hotels and casinos practically pay their clientele to gamble, that’s a discussion for another day.

But when it comes to providing an environment for world class racing--and Saratoga’s arguably is still the best on the planet over a sustained period--why should local merchants be different from service providers anywhere else?