NYRA names new executive

The New York Racing Association has hired Gavin Landry, the former president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, as its senior vice president of sales and market development, NYRA announced on Tuesday.

Landry, 42, will be responsible for NYRA's sales and customer service programs in his new position, along with corporate sponsorship and licensing agreements. Landry had previously been with Saratoga's tourism bureau for 12 years.

Earlier this year, Bill Nader, a NYRA senior vice president, left the association to take a job with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Several of Nader's duties include those being taken over by Landry.

In a statement, Landry said he would seek to implement strategies that would increase NYRA's wagering revenue as well as ontrack attendance, a number that has been declining for over a decade at two of NYRA's tracks, Aqueduct and Belmont. NYRA also operates Saratoga Racecourse in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Landry lives in Malta, not far from Saratoga, and owns Thoroughbred horses.