For roughly 50 days a year, betting on the horses at Belmont is welcomed, but when parents at a nearby school are asked about a prospective year-round casino at the track, the welcome mat is yanked away without reservation.
One parent who only gave his name as June said he didn't think it was a good idea, while Louis Baptiste was concerned it would bring too much traffic to the area.
Nick Celhomme added: "I don't like it also because when gambling comes to the neighborhood, it's not gonna be the same as before."
Opposition like that has greeted every proposed site for a Nassau video gaming facility.
Plans to put it in a former Westbury department store were quickly abandoned earlier this year after the community there spoke out. And now it has become a political issue, with Democrats on the county legislature saying there is no appropriate spot for it.
"A casino that will lead to crime, pollution and transportation issues is not a right fit for any community," said Democratic county legislator Carrie Solages.
But Nassau County desperately needs the $29 million a year a casino would generate. Without the money, programs might have to be cut, taxes raised or both.
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Sources close to the issue tell NBC 4 that county officials still believe Belmont is the best place for the casino.
But whether and when the idea will get to the finish line remains a question no one is ready to answer.
"There are other ways that we can raise revenue rather than allow casinos to ruin and destroy the quality of life of a neighborhood," said Solages.
Nassau OTB declined to comment on the proposal, and County Executive Ed Mangano's office did not respond to requests for comment.
