Why the race is important
The future of our shoreline – and the character of our town - is at stake.
Magna Entertainment Corp., which bought Golden Gate Fields in the late 1990’s, has more in mind for the Albany shoreline than a waterfront mall. Magna wants to create Racing Casinos by adding casinos to all its horsetracks, calling them “Racinos.” Magna even trademarked the term “Racino.” These Racinos all have shopping malls as part of their development scheme.
Our shoreline’s current zoning does not allow a Racino, Casino, or mall. Marge and Joanne emphatically oppose any change to the zoning that would permit Magna to build a waterfront Racino complex. Such development would destroy Albany’s small town character and change our community forever. It would also cut the Eastshore State Park virtually in two.
The community spent the last year urging the City Council to listen to the majority of Albany residents who did not want a shopping mall at the waterfront and who wanted a plan for the shoreline that provided for maximum park and open space while meeting Albany’s current and future revenue needs.
The two pro-mall City Council candidates (Caryl O’Keefe and Francesco Papalia) consistently opposed requests for a planning process that was not developer driven. They believe that a shoreline mall is a good use of the waterfront. Marge and Joanne do not.
Marge and Joanne both actively led the effort to qualify the Albany Shoreline Protection Initiative for the November ballot. When Magna sued to keep the initiative off the ballot (winning on a technicality), it became clear that it was a time for new leadership on the City Council.
It’s time for a progressive majority on the City Council that shares a vision for open space on the shoreline and preserving Albany’s special character.