Saratoga Track Opens Restaurant

21 April 2005

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Saratoga Gaming and Raceway is happy to announce the opening of Fortunes restaurant. The $1 million renovated and redesigned space seats 360 guests and offers American Cuisine featuring a broad a la carte menu and full scale buffet. To create the varying menu items is newly appointed Executive Chef, Thomas Gisler. Fortunes is open Wednesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday brunch will be offered beginning Mother's Day, May 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"I am very excited to open our new restaurant and provide our faithful patrons with a dining experience that surpasses their expectations," said Daniel Gerrity, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway President. "The phenomenal results have made it well worth the wait." The 10,000 square foot space, formally known as Chariot's, underwent substantial renovations beginning in December 2004. The renovations include a new ceiling, flooring, tables, linens and dinnerware, lighting, wall and trim colors, restrooms, and the construction of a tiled permanent buffet station totaling $1 million. Jamie Hartman, General Manager at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway added, "We have always promised to offer our guests the best entertainment experience possible, and with the addition of Fortunes we now have the best full evening experience possible."

Executive Chef, Thomas Gisler has an extensive and impressive culinary background beginning with his education at the Culinary Institute Lucerne in Lucerne, Switzerland where he graduated with honors. His exceptional talent led him to multiple positions with Hyatt International in the United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea and his most recent Executive Chef position at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY. He has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence from the Swiss Cooking Federation. The menus of traditional favorites showcase his innovative ideas which are created using the freshest of local products. "When designing the menus I wanted to offer the classic dishes patrons enjoy at home but on an expanded level. To do this I made subtle additions and changed traditional side dishes to enhance the flavors," Executive Chef Gisler said.

The full scale buffet menus vary daily and include soup options, an expansive salad bar, carving station, hot buffet bar, pasta station, and dessert selections. On Wednesday and Thursdays guests will be offered the Fortunes Buffet featuring a slow roasted pork loin rolled in Jamaican jerk spices on the carving station. The Seafood Buffet on Fridays features a salad and raw bar, oven baked salt encrusted salmon filet with dill cream sauce and a boiled Maine lobster tail. Saturday's guests can indulge in the Prime Rib Buffet featuring slow roast prime rib with au jus and popover.

Guests that prefer to be served their dinner have an array of appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches, entrees and desserts to select from on the a la carte menu. Some items on the menu include: Oysters Rockefeller (six classically inspired oysters topped with spinach that wilted in a seasoned Pernod cream and finished with a Hollandaise sauce); Mediterranean Vegetable Napoleon (grilled zucchini, eggplant, and red bell pepper layered with oven roasted plum tomatoes, portabella mushrooms and melted mozzarella cheese is served on sweet pepper coulis with basil pesto); Stuffed Breast of Chicken (breast of chicken stuffed with tarragon and orange flavored Chevre cheese and roasted until oven crisp with a Grand Marnier demi-glace); and Fortunes Favorite (twin tournedos of filet mignon grilled and presented on portabella mushrooms caps topped with Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat and Bearnaise sauce).

To oversee the front of house operations at Fortunes is new Restaurant Manager, Amy Cipolla. Ms. Cipolla's skills and experience are rooted in the hospitality industry and have included positions as general manager, associate food and beverage director, restaurant manager and franchise restaurant owner. She has managed multi-million dollar events and accounts such as the wedding of the year in Charlotte, North Carolina for Bride Magazine, 2,500 guest campaign dinner for Vice President Al Gore, and the south lawn village for NFL's Carolina Panthers home games.

The first gaming facility to open in New York State, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway boasts over 1,300 state-of-the-art video gaming machines, a full service restaurant with buffet, three full-service bars, a food court and deli, a gift shop, and a variety of guest services including valet parking and coat check. Patrons can participate in our player rewards program, Player Extras Club while visiting the property. The 55,000 square foot gaming floor cost $15 million to construct and employs an additional 300 local residents. Our full service restaurant, overlooking the excitement of live harness racing, seats 400 guests and can accommodate large group events. Video gaming and food and beverage operations at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway are managed by Delaware North Companies Inc., a leading hospitality and entertainment management group headquartered in Buffalo, NY.

Saratoga Gaming and Raceway is located on Crescent Avenue in Saratoga Springs, NY. Operating hours for the gaming facility are 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. Must be 18 years of age or older to play Video Gaming Machines. Please play responsibly. Simulcast races can be viewed Tuesday through Sunday. Live Harness races are held Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Post time for all races is 7:10 p.m. Must be 18 or older to wager on horses.