Page 3 - October 2007 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, August/September 2007 3
Update on New Track in Alberta
Town of Fort Erie Campaign to “Save Our Track”
Posted on the wall of the race office at Fort Erie is a tear-sheet from the August 31 Niagara Review, which features the headline
“Save Our Track”.
The contents of the ad,
which features a letter from Doug Martin, the Mayor of the Town of Fort Erie, reflects an effort by the town, Nordic Gaming (the owners of Fort Erie Racetrack) and the HBPA of Ontario to gain a commitment of funding from the Ontario Government to support a proposed new development at the racetrack to keep live thoroughbred racing alive in Fort Erie.
The proposed development, worth $300 million, includes a 350 room hotel, a massive entertainment
complex and more than 2500 condominium time share units to be built on the existing vacant land next to the race track parking lot.
The development is being proposed to revive tourism in the
area and bring new patrons to the racetrack, which according to the advertisement, is in danger of being forced to close.
There are currently close to 2500 people who are employed at the racetrack and closure would be devastating to the town and the Region.
The advertising campaign is asking for area residents and horsepeople to support the proposal and by put pressure on the Ontario Government to take a look at the seriousness of the sit- uation in Fort Erie.
For more information visit www.forteriecanada.com/saveourtrack
According to the latest CTHS of Alberta Newsletter, construction is now in the early stages at the the new racing facility located in Balzac, Alberta, just North of the Calgary International Airport.
Max Gibb, Chief Executive Office for United Horsemen of Alberta who are backing the project, was quoted at an information session in late August, “We’ll be open in time for the 2009 racing season. We’re 99.9% sure we’re going to solve the water issue by the end of September. The project cost has grown to $238 million, $140 million of which will be long term debt. But we can do this if we can get going without further delay. When we get it built, it will be a world class facility.”
The new racetrack in Balzac was originally scheduled to open for the 2008 racing season however a serious issue with water supply and problems with permits has delayed the project.
Back in June, horsemen in Alberta bid farewell to thoroughbred racing at Stampede Park when the 2007 meet ended. Now with the delayed opening of the Balzac track, racing will once again be hosted at the Calgary racetrack in 2008.
The plans for the new track at Balzac include a mile-long dirt track for Thoroughbreds, with an inner Standardbred track of seven-eighths of a mile.
The backstretch is to include 1,200 horse stalls, tack rooms, a pony barn, paddock area, men’s and women’s dormitory rooms, laundry and shower facilities and a veterinary school and equine hospital. Daycare, recreation and a cafeteria for backstretch workers is also planned.
The four-level grandstand will include a gaming parlour which will be home to 500 slot machines. An entertainment and simulcast area, a food court and retail facilities and hotel complex.
The track is funded and will be owned by United Horsemen of Alberta, which is comprised mainly of Alberta Horsemen, businessmen, farmers and ranchers and builders, along with Gateway Casinos Inc, from western British Columbia, and Calvent LLC, developers of Emerald Downs in Seattle. Among the well-known Albertans involved are Calgary lawyer Bill Code, Marvin Christensen of Triwell Oilfield Construction in Taber, Jim Juris, noted auctioneer and horseman from Picture Butte, award-winning music promoter Ron Sakamoto of Lethbridge, and Lethbridge’s Rocky Mountain Turf Club, a major player in the organization.
Race Date Changes in Ontario for 2008
The Ontario Racing Commission, in a Notice to the Industry, was accepting comments regarding the proposed race date changes applied by Ontario Racetrack Operators for 2008.
Woodbine Entertainment Group applied for 167 racing days, the same amount as in 2007, along with a change to add Thursday’s back into the August schedule. The application for 2008 racing would see the first day of thoroughbred racing on Saturday, April 5 and continue through to Sunday, December 7.
Fort Erie Race Track management and the HBPA of Ontario requested and were granted an extension to the requirement for the submission of an application for 2008 race date change to accommodate the ongoing discussion to develop a schedule for 2008 satisfactory to all parties.
Industry input, comments and concerns should have been submitted to the ORC by October 3.
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