It’s All About the Up-sell
“The roiling sea of humanity that turns the Preakness Stakes infield into one of the biggest beer bashes in the country will be joined by upscale patrons at Pimlico Race Course this year.
“Taking a cue from other professional sports that increasingly cater to the wealthy, Magna Entertainment, which operates Pimlico, will offer new corporate packages, sponsorships and ticketing that emphasize luxury and exclusivity for the May 21 race. ‘Like a lot of other professional sports, we see an opportunity to up-sell,’ said Jim Gagliano, Magna’s executive vice president of Maryland racing operations. ‘This is the Super Bowl of racing in this region. We’re trying really hard to create opportunities for people to move into more comfortable settings.’
“Gagliano said revelers on the 35-acre infield will have virtually the same amount of space as in the past but they will lose most of their prime view of the homestretch for the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown. They can see the horses go around on the back side of the track but will watch the finish on scoreboard screens.” (Washington Post)
Related: Gary West pens an open letter to Magna chief Frank Stronach. “Can you lead this sport, and do you and your minions have any idea how to run a racetrack?” (Star-Telegram)
