Belmont preparations ramping up in Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - As people wait to see if there’s a triple crown contender running at the Belmont Stakes, excitement is building for the Saratoga Race Course to host the historic event. With less than one month to go until the festival kicks off, NEWS10 checked out how preparations are kicking into high gear.

“We’re in the final stretch right? We’re a couple weeks out so we’re sprinting now to make sure everything is all set up,” said Todd Shimkus, the president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

Since last fall, Impressions of Saratoga on Broadway has been planning, stocking and shipping Belmont merchandise. They're received orders from as far as Florida. With the festival less than a month away, the stores' owners are busy training more summer staffers earlier than usual.

“We estimate the economic impact of this, the four days, is going to be upwards of 50 million dollars, and that's in the region, that’s people staying not just in Saratoga Springs, but in Wilton, in Clifton Park, in Malta, in Albany and Lake George,” said Shimkus.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6, 2024, and continue through Sunday, June 9, 2024. The festival will be highlighted by the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8. This will be the first time the Belmont Stakes will be held in Saratoga.