Hollywood Park rumors flying!

[so.cal.fan]

Front page of Friday's DRF.....Martin Panza, racing secretary for Hollywood Park neither confirms or denies rumors the track may not last out this year.
I'm anxious to get over there this weekend and hear the latest rumors.
We are already getting bits and pieces at Santa Anita......one insider from a leading barn speculates, this will be the final meet (summer) for HP, they won't even run this fall.
I dismissed this as "wishful thinking" until I read Panza's comments.....now I'm not so sure.
Anybody have a good guess? Let's speculate here! :confused:

[kenwoodallpromos]

The only thing I have not heard is they are moving to Fairplex, but they might as well- Stronach cannot buy up the track there!

[so.cal.fan]

My uneducated guess would be, if legal....whoever is buying Hollywood Park, we believe it is UPS.....will want the track out of there asp.
They are paying a lot of money.....don't think they are going to be too gracious about letting Churchill Downs run the fall meet if the deal goes through, and of course if they can get away with it.
If this is the case, which a lot of horsemen think it is, then probably Santa Anita will pick up the dates after Oak Tree, probably but who knows.....perhaps Los Alamitos will get several of the cheaper races?
I don't know.....somehow I can't see Del Mar taking those fall dates.
Now next year's summer meet is another story.....I think Del Mar will get some of those dates.....possibly June or July, provided they can transfer the fair dates to another location in No. San Diego County.

[mhrussell]

What needs to happen when Hollywood closes is NOT to race on those 'open' dates. Provide the horse population a much needed rest and significantly improve the quality of the racing during the rest of the year. But what 'fantasyland' am I living in? The State and the horse racing industry in SoCal will never give up that revenue... no matter the cost to the horses, the betting public or the sport.

[TJC]

For what it's worth - - I was told today by an employee of Green Valley Ranch Race Book that Churchill wants a substantial raise in percentage and the race bools in Nevada have not signed a new contract because of the demand. The books may book the action themselves starting Friday night so Churchill will get no revenue from the Nevada players until they agree on a settlement.

[ratpack]

My guess would be if they are not going to leave 3/4 meet. I mean Dmr needs notice to add dates to there meet, you can't just add 2 or 3 week to that meet at a whim and then what about the Fair.

No Hol, Dmr and the Fair will go on as planned, if Hol closes after this year then we will see.

I will bet on Los Al getting the summer Hol dates and maybe Dmr getting an extra 2 weeks of the fall Hol dates and I would like to see Oak Tree get the rest of the Fall Hol dates.

[ratpack]

has pulled out of a plan to go after the Hol dates and covert the track.

Well it was in the LA Times today, he basically said he was not interested but left the door open for other investors to do it.

Listening between the lines on the radio show today, IMHO it looks like we are going to have a few years of double meets at SA until Los Al or Fairplex gets done. Los Al is my bet.

[so.cal.fan]

I had a hunch they may have been under- funded here, Chirs.
We should have some solid information by the end of next month.
Stay tuned...should be interesting.
I tend to go along with your predictions....but we shall see.
Hollywood Park isn't telling anyone anything at this time.
All the HP employees were called in yesterday before the races and assured they would have their jobs through this meet......funny....they didn't mention the fall meet????? Perhaps they really just don't know as of now?

[ratpack]

Yea, if UPS did make an offer they are not going to wait much longer.

[so.cal.fan]

Heard some more rumors, ratpack.
Allred (Los Al) doesn't care to go into business with Pegram, but may be open to going in with his good friends, Bob and Beverly Lewis.
Also heard that the 90th street parking lot, oil field and polo field (which I believe are still owned by Hubbard, along with the casino) are being developed into a large gated condo project like the one across the street.
A guy from Vegas on one of the radio shows, threw out a hint that HP may or may not finish out the current meet.......can't see how he knows anything.
Also found out that Hollywood Park only has to fill it's obligations to run races through the latest condition book issued.....

[ratpack]

Well rumors are going to be flying but I cannot see how you can just pick up and move mid-meet the only possible place would be back to SA.

They could close down the meet but then the State would loses all that tax revenue in the middle of a big short fall so I do not see that happening.

I could be wrong but I think Hol will go on through the summer and then if the property is sold the dates will go to SA for a few years until other arrangments can be made with Los Al or Fairplex

[so.cal.fan]

I agree, it doesn't stand to reason they wouldn't finish this meet.

[ratpack]

I just heard a radio report that CD Inc has just put up the Hol park property for 200M.

[so.cal.fan]

The rumors were wild yesterday, again, Chris.
One trainer said the meet would close down by July 1st.
Fairplex will be built into a major training center with a mile track and a very large stable area to accomodate all the horses.
Santa Anita and Del Mar will get the CD dates.
I can't see how they could close before the end of this summer meet....all the horses leave the stable area after the close anyway, going to Del Mar, Santa Anita and elsewhere....seems they will just close it down then, never again to let horses in....because obviously by that time it will be sold, if it hasn't been already.....these sales are rarely announced early.
Let us know if you hear anymore radio reports.

[ratpack]

Well Hol closes on July 17th anyway.

I think this is it for Hol. The dates will get moved mostly to SA and a few extra weeks to Dmr until things get sorted out.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I predict Magna will bid on Hollywood Park.

[ratpack]

I predict Magna will bid on Hollywood Park.

No way in Hell

[JustRalph]

I predict Magna will bid on Hollywood Park.

why? no advantage to it. From what I can tell.

[so.cal.fan]

Ralph's right, no advantage, and I have never heard Magna is interested in that property at all.
I't worth more as a distributiton center for UPS. I really suspect they are going to take it over....and they have no room for a racetrack. Churchill wants out of Calif. The City of Inglewood wants racing out of Inglewood.
Like it or not, racing is leaving Inglewood.

[ratpack]

Magna has no interest in Hol Park just the racing dates and just because you buy the property does not mean you buy the racing dates.

[so.cal.fan]

Yep, I doubt we'll be attending UPS Racetrack.
More and more Fairplex rumors went around Santa Anita and Hollywood backstretch today.....we shall just all have to wait.

[ratpack]

I did not know until today's LA Times article that CD Inc. turned down an 175 to a possible 200 Million offer by the group the owns Bay Meadows racetrack to buy the Hol property and keep the track in operation.

[Speed Figure]

I don't see them selling it to someone who's going to keep racing there.

[ratpack]

I don't see them selling it to someone who's going to keep racing there.

If they get the price they want I don't really see what difference it makes/

[freehouse2002]

Any new developments on the HP rumors?


freehouse2002

[so.cal.fan]

Just persistent rumors that this will be the last meet.....but who knows?
They haven't done anything to speak of to the plant......much is in need of repair......nothing being done....read into that what you want?

[ElKabong]

SCF,

On JB2 and Bloom's show last Friday they interviewed Vic Stauffer. Vic said mgmnt told him this week that Holly would "definitely run all this yr and at least thru the summer of 2006", and probably thru the 2006 winter meet .

Could most likely be 'mgmnt talk' but that's what he said. I think Baedecker is one who Vic spoke to about it, I don't exactly recall.

http://www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=151

Can hear the archive here..


http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archives.asp?sid=151

[so.cal.fan]

That's interesting ELK.....I missed that.
According to most of the trainers.....not the case....but wtf do they know?
LOL

[ElKabong]

Same goes for track mgmnt SCF, lol :)

Just replayed the discussion abt Hollywood, it starts at the 04:30 mark of Vic's segment (#2).

[Stillriledup]

Front page of Friday's DRF.....Martin Panza, racing secretary for Hollywood Park neither confirms or denies rumors the track may not last out this year.
I'm anxious to get over there this weekend and hear the latest rumors.
We are already getting bits and pieces at Santa Anita......one insider from a leading barn speculates, this will be the final meet (summer) for HP, they won't even run this fall.
I dismissed this as "wishful thinking" until I read Panza's comments.....now I'm not so sure.
Anybody have a good guess? Let's speculate here! :confused:


So much for 'not lasting out the year'. FIVE.....I SAID FIVE.......NO NO NO, ITS FIVE (dollar footlong) Years later and Hollywood is still hanging in there! The old girl is still going strong!