More Gulfstream slots ready

Gulfstream Park's second and larger slots room could be open for business as early as Wednesday, according to the track's president and general manager, Bill Murphy.

"The regulators will be testing the equipment into the night, but we're confident that if all goes well we'll have their approval to open the new room on Wednesday," Murphy said Monday afternoon.

Gulfstream's new slots room, called the Finish Line Casino, is on the south side of the first floor of the grandstand and will feature 700 new machines. The original slots room, which opened in November, will continue to operate with 512 machines.

"The earlier we get the new room open, the quicker we'll be able to start accruing extra money towards purses," said Murphy.

In anticipation of slots revenue, Gulfstream has increased purses approximately 17 percent across the board from 2006 levels since the Jan. 3 opening of the 2007 meet.