Report on Greyhound Racing in Texas (February 2013) - Grey2K USA
Report on Greyhound Racing in Texas (February 2013) - Grey2K USA
Report on Greyhound Racing in Texas (February 2013) - Grey2K USA
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SECTION 1<br />
Historical Overview<br />
Pari-mutuel wager<strong>in</strong>g was legalized, subject to a state-wide citizen referendum, dur<strong>in</strong>g the 1986<br />
legislative sessi<strong>on</strong>. 1 The follow<strong>in</strong>g year, pari-mutuel wager<strong>in</strong>g at greyhound tracks was officially<br />
approved. The <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Commissi<strong>on</strong> was created to regulate greyhound rac<strong>in</strong>g. 2<br />
There is currently <strong>on</strong>e dog track regularly c<strong>on</strong>duct<strong>in</strong>g live greyhound rac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Texas</strong>; Gulf <strong>Greyhound</strong><br />
Park <strong>in</strong> La Marque. Valley Race Park ceased live rac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 2009 due to f<strong>in</strong>ancial difficulties and poor<br />
track attendance. However, Valley held a five-day live greyhound rac<strong>in</strong>g meet <strong>in</strong> November 2011<br />
and has been granted five live race days dur<strong>in</strong>g July <strong>2013</strong>. 3 A third track, Corpus Christi <strong>Greyhound</strong><br />
Racetrack, closed <strong>on</strong> December 30, 2007 after the state denied its request for a shortened rac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
schedule. 4 In 2009 Corpus Christi reopened as Gulf Coast <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> for simulcast wager<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong>ly. 5 More<br />
recently, Gulf Coast has been granted a brief five-day live rac<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>g for August <strong>2013</strong>. 6<br />
Timel<strong>in</strong>e:<br />
1990 Corpus Christi<br />
Dog Track and Valley<br />
Race Park open<br />
2004 Four greyhounds<br />
die from an outbreak of<br />
can<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>fluenza at Gulf<br />
<strong>Greyhound</strong> Park<br />
2007 Corpus<br />
Christi ceases live<br />
rac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
2012 Six greyhounds<br />
die and many others fall ill<br />
from an apparent outbreak<br />
of can<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>fluenza at Gulf<br />
<strong>Greyhound</strong> Park<br />
1980 1990 2000 2010 2012<br />
1986 Pari-mutuel<br />
wager<strong>in</strong>g is legalized by<br />
the Legislature<br />
1992 Gulf <strong>Greyhound</strong><br />
Park opens<br />
2009 Corpus Christi<br />
reopens as Gulf Coast<br />
<strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, a simulcast <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
facility. Valley Race Park<br />
suspends live rac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
2005 Can<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>fluenza<br />
takes the lives of two<br />
greyhounds at Gulf<br />
<strong>Greyhound</strong> Park<br />
2011 A greyhound<br />
tra<strong>in</strong>er surrenders his<br />
license after videotape<br />
shows him us<strong>in</strong>g live<br />
rabbits to tra<strong>in</strong> greyhounds.<br />
Valley Race Park holds five<br />
days of live rac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
1 <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Commissi<strong>on</strong>, Study of the Current State of Horse and <strong>Greyhound</strong> <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Texas</strong> and Industry<br />
Recommendati<strong>on</strong>s for Improvement, January 13, 2011.<br />
2 Ibid.<br />
3 Dave Flavila, <strong>Greyhound</strong> rac<strong>in</strong>g returns to Harl<strong>in</strong>gen for five days, The Brownsville Herald, November 19, 2011; <strong>Texas</strong><br />
<strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Commissi<strong>on</strong>, Memorandum to Charles Trout, <strong>Greyhound</strong> Race Date Applicati<strong>on</strong>s Submitted for <strong>2013</strong> and 2014,<br />
dated September 17, 2012 (<strong>on</strong> file with author).<br />
4 Associated Press, Corpus Christi greyhound track to close, The Dallas Morn<strong>in</strong>g News, November 2, 2007; Dan Kelley, Dogs<br />
take last lap at CC <strong>Greyhound</strong> Race Track today, Corpus Christi Caller Times, December 30, 2007.<br />
5 Dan Kelley, Racetrack has new name, new digs, Corpus Christi Caller Times, June 4, 2009.<br />
6 <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Commissi<strong>on</strong>, Memorandum to Charles Trout, <strong>Greyhound</strong> Race Date Applicati<strong>on</strong>s Submitted for <strong>2013</strong> and<br />
2014, dated September 17, 2012 (<strong>on</strong> file with author).<br />
<strong>Greyhound</strong> <strong>Rac<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Texas</strong> 2
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