International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park
The Belmont Park aviation meet was an international aerial show that took place in 1910. The Belmont Racetrack in Elmont, New York, United States, was the site of the aviation meet. The event took place over nine days and featured aerial races, and contests involving duration, distance, speed and altitude. Background The tournament was the idea of Andrew Freedman who was a director of the Wright Company. On August 9, 1910, the Committee of Arrangements members were announced at the Finance Committee of the Aero Club Corporation. The members of the Committee of Arrangements were Alan A. Ryan, Clifford B. Harmon and W. Redmond Cross. August Belmont Jr. was a Wright Company stockholder and he was selected to be the president of the event's organizing committee. The venue selected was August Belmont's racetrack at Belmont Park. The committee selected Belmont so that they could save money by using the existing stands and enclosed the grounds. By October 9, 1910, the park was being prepared for the meet. The workers used "electric light" to work at night. The main grandstand was expanded to accommodate the people who were expected at Belmont Park. The organizers also had to construct hangars for the