Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown Departing City Hall for Betting Corp.

Posted on: October 2, 2024, 03:10h. 

Last updated on: October 2, 2024, 03:39h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown (D) is departing City Hall for a more lucrative paying gig heading up an off-track betting corporation.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown Western Regional OTB
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is departing the office after 19 years. He’s leaving to head up a government-owned off-track betting corporation. (Image: BuffaloNY.gov)

Instead of leading the government of New York’s second-largest city, Hall, Buffalo’s longest-serving mayor at 19 years, will officially resign in the coming weeks to become the president and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. (Western OTB). The government-owned entity is one of five OTB corporations that facilitates parimutuel wagering, live horse racing, and video lottery casino gaming on behalf of local municipalities and the state.

Buffalo’s first Black mayor, Brown, 65, was first elected to lead the upstate Western New York city along Lake Erie in 2005. He’s since been reelected five times, his last coming in 2021 when he mounted a successful write-in campaign after he was upset in the Democratic primary.

After nearly two decades as mayor, I have loved serving the people of Buffalo as mayor. But think the time is right to transition to a new role,” Brown said at a news conference.

Brown’s official departure date is forthcoming. Buffalo Common Council President Christopher Scanlon will become acting mayor through the end of Brown’s tenure, which runs through the end of 2025.

OTB CEO

Brown will head up Western OTB and oversee its governance. The corporation currently operates 33 off-track betting locations, telephone account betting, and online wagering through BataviaBets.

In addition to its off-track betting, Western Regional OTB owns and operates the Batavia Downs harness racetrack and its accompanying gaming facility. Batavia Downs Gaming houses over 925 video lottery terminals (VLTs).

VLTs are slot-like gaming machines and electronic table games that are linked to a centralized system maintained by the New York Gaming Commission. Each VLT property keeps about 46% of the machines’ gross revenue. The state receives 44% and uses that money for K-12 public education. The remaining 10% is to cover vendor expenses and administrative costs.

Brown is set for a pay raise in leaving politics for gambling. The mayor’s current pay of $178,500 a year will be increased to $295K when he becomes Western OTB CEO.

Brown’s forthcoming annual compensation will be about $45K more than what New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) makes and more than six times what the average Buffalonian pulls in each year.

Succeeds Controversial Leader

Brown will replace Henry Wojtaszek, who in July announced he would step down before the end of the year. Wojtaszek served as Western OTB president and CEO since 2016, but his recent tenure has been mired in controversy.

Wojtaszek, along with key OTB executives and board members, has faced public scrutiny for being gifted free tickets to major sporting events, receiving so-called gold-plated benefits and compensation, and awarding contracts to politically connected vendors.

Despite his resignation, the Western OTB Board of Directors in July passed a resolution that will give Wojtaszek an additional year’s salary of $287K next year. 

Brown’s Appeal

Western Regional, like many other government-owned OTB entities in New York, continues to lobby state lawmakers to expand sports betting to OTB corporations. Currently, the state limits in-person sports betting to commercial casinos. Online sportsbooks additionally operate.

Western OTB board members think Brown could help better make their case, as few politicians are more connected in Albany than Brown.

“I cannot say it enough that we are extremely fortunate to get an individual like Mayor Byron Brown to lead this organization,” said Western OTB Board President Dennis Bassett. “We look to continue to grow. We look to continue to venture into things that we have not ventured into before.”