2002 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA
Executive Newsletter
A daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyond
Stanley F. Bergstein, Editor
NEW NAME, NEW COMMITTEES
The all-industry committee on medication issues
that was formed at the University of Arizona
Race Track Industry Symposium in Tucson last
December held its second meeting yesterday, in
Louisville, KY. Harness racing was represented
by HTA executive vice president Stan Bergstein,
USTA executive vice president Fred Noe, and
Standardbred Investigative Services president
Paul Berube. Twenty-six of the original 32 people
who met in Tucson were present, and heard a 2-
hour review of medications commonly used in
racing today, and a rational and analysis of each,
from California track practitioner Dr. Rick
Arthur and Ohio State veterinary school professor
Dr. Rick Sams. An intense afternoon session
resulted in three internal committees being
formed to move the organization forward, and a
name change of the overall group to the Racing
Medication and Testing Consortium. A third
meeting will be held in July after the three committees
have met to formulate a solid business
plan and recommendations to regulators.
WOODBINE BUYS HASTINGS
Months of negotiations with the Pacific Racing
Association, owners of Hastings Park in
Vancouver, and with the government of British
Columbia, ended yesterday with the announcement
that Woodbine Entertainment Group had
completed its acquisition of Hastings Park for $6
million (Canadian). The announcement met with
favorable response from Vancouver media and
racing interests after David Willmot, president
and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, and
chairman and immediate past president of HTA,
told a turnout at the track, “We’re not a bunch
of eastern carpetbaggers coming out to tell B.C.
how to run its horse racing business. We
are a not-for-profit...our core business is,
and always will be, horse racing. And
we believe in the health of horse racing
throughout Canada.”
May 2, 2002
Willmot announced Woodbine’s first management
move would be free attendance. “That will
be a $400,000 hit,” he said, “but we are prepared
to take that. We are surrounded by casinos. You
can’t charge people anymore for the privilege to
come and bet.” As a proactive move, Willmot
said Hastings will establish seven teletheaters in
the Lower Mainland surrounding Vancouver to
bring horse racing closer to customers. He said
there was no magic wand to wave at Hastings,
but added, “I’m one of those guys who likes to
under-promise and over-deliver.”
ANOTHER BIG BID IN CALGARY
A new group headed by the former president and
CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority has filed
a provincial application to build a 7/8ths mile
harness track inside a 1 mile thoroughbred track
in Calgary. The former Airport Authority chief
is Ernie Caron, who retired from that post last
year, and he says he has invited Stampede Park
to join forces in the new venture. Stampede, however,
filed its own bid for a new Calgary track as
the deadline for applications passed this week,
saying they will build a new facility attached to
its present grandstand for the 500 slots machines
that will be given to the winner of bidding for a
Calgary track, providing it is granted a 10-year
license.
PRAIRIE GETS NEW LEASE
The term is the same -- 5 years -- and the total
amount is the same -- $100 million -- but the conditions
differ in a new lease for Prairie Meadows
Racetrack and Casino agreed to unanimously by
the Polk County, Iowa, board of supervisors.
Under the agreement, which replaces a similar
lease turned down by the supervisors several
weeks ago, rent goes up from $12 million a year
to $15.6 million, but the amount due from
profits after reasonable capital improvements
drops from $8 million to $4.4 million.