Help Save Rillito Park!

[MonmouthParkJoe]

To the horse racing community,



As some of you may or may not be aware, Pima County officials are deliberating the fate of Rillito Park Race Track here in Tucson, Arizona. It is currently an issue that has been added to the agenda that will take place in January of 2016. The tentative winter opening date is scheduled for January 30th.

The Pima county officials are faced with the task of determining whether Rillito Park Race Track should be exclusively a soccer destination or a multi-use facility that would include horse racing.

If you were ever affiliated with Rillito Park Race Track, the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona, the horse racing industry in general, or just a fan, I urge to you contact the Pima county officials at their email addresses listed below. It is imperative that we come together at this time. The potential closure will have both short term and long term effects that will be felt for years after this decision is made. Rillito Park employs many people in the town, supports the breeding industry, and serves as a learning lab for the future leaders of the horse racing industry.

I thank you all for your anticipated support in this matter.

sharon.bronson@pima.gov Supervisor District 3

ally.miller@pima.gov Supervisor District 1

ramon.valadez@pima.gov Supervisor District 2

richard.elias@pima.gov Supervisor District 5

ray.carroll@pima.gov Supervisor District 4

chh@pima.gov County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry

robin.brigode@pima.gov Clerk of Court



Joe Longo

Graduate Student-University of Arizona-RTIP

longo@email.arizona.edu

[DeltaLover]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

To the horse racing community,



As some of you may or may not be aware, Pima County officials are deliberating the fate of Rillito Park Race Track here in Tucson, Arizona. It is currently an issue that has been added to the agenda that will take place in January of 2016. The tentative winter opening date is scheduled for January 30th.

The Pima county officials are faced with the task of determining whether Rillito Park Race Track should be exclusively a soccer destination or a multi-use facility that would include horse racing.

If you were ever affiliated with Rillito Park Race Track, the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona, the horse racing industry in general, or just a fan, I urge to you contact the Pima county officials at their email addresses listed below. It is imperative that we come together at this time. The potential closure will have both short term and long term effects that will be felt for years after this decision is made. Rillito Park employs many people in the town, supports the breeding industry, and serves as a learning lab for the future leaders of the horse racing industry.

I thank you all for your anticipated support in this matter.

sharon.bronson@pima.gov Supervisor District 3

ally.miller@pima.gov Supervisor District 1

ramon.valadez@pima.gov Supervisor District 2

richard.elias@pima.gov Supervisor District 5

ray.carroll@pima.gov Supervisor District 4

chh@pima.gov County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry

robin.brigode@pima.gov Clerk of Court



Joe Longo

Graduate Student-University of Arizona-RTIP

longo@email.arizona.edu

Can you please explain why a horse racing fan needs to care about this race track?

Why it is good for the sport and the related gambling to keep this place open?

[BIGTKLO]

Why care about this racetrack? We should all care about racetracks closing. We should care about people losing jobs in this industry. How insensitive can one be to even ask why we should care about the closure of Rillito Park. Nice holiday spirit on your behalf.

[thespaah]

I am actually surprised the race track management degree program is still offered.
Who would actually WANT to go into the business.
If I were hired by a racing jurisdiction where the very continuation of doing business is at best, tenuous, I'd be firing off resumes everywhere except the race track industry.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

Most people experience the races at a certain age, and without tracks we cannot expect to have future fans or the support of the industry. I agree that we have too much racing, but Rillito is a special case. There isn't a saturation of race tracks in the southwest, and it is unique in that it is operated almost entirely by students.

As for entering the industry, each profession has its pros and cons. I love the industry and hope to make a positive impact. The fact you all are on this website speaks to you enjoying some aspect of it. It is something I am passionate about, so that's why I'm doing it. I spent 11 years in accounting and finance with my MBA in finance and my cpa. Great money, but hated what I did. When you do something you love you never work a day in your life. So I am ready for that.

[ronsmac]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

To the horse racing community,



As some of you may or may not be aware, Pima County officials are deliberating the fate of Rillito Park Race Track here in Tucson, Arizona. It is currently an issue that has been added to the agenda that will take place in January of 2016. The tentative winter opening date is scheduled for January 30th.

The Pima county officials are faced with the task of determining whether Rillito Park Race Track should be exclusively a soccer destination or a multi-use facility that would include horse racing.

If you were ever affiliated with Rillito Park Race Track, the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona, the horse racing industry in general, or just a fan, I urge to you contact the Pima county officials at their email addresses listed below. It is imperative that we come together at this time. The potential closure will have both short term and long term effects that will be felt for years after this decision is made. Rillito Park employs many people in the town, supports the breeding industry, and serves as a learning lab for the future leaders of the horse racing industry.

I thank you all for your anticipated support in this matter.

sharon.bronson@pima.gov Supervisor District 3

ally.miller@pima.gov Supervisor District 1

ramon.valadez@pima.gov Supervisor District 2

richard.elias@pima.gov Supervisor District 5

ray.carroll@pima.gov Supervisor District 4

chh@pima.gov County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry

robin.brigode@pima.gov Clerk of Court



Joe Longo

Graduate Student-University of Arizona-RTIP

longo@email.arizona.edu

I went there every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the short period I lived in Tuscon. They had a fantastic track announcer for such a small track.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by BIGTKLO

Why care about this racetrack? We should all care about racetracks closing. We should care about people losing jobs in this industry. How insensitive can one be to even ask why we should care about the closure of Rillito Park. Nice holiday spirit on your behalf.

Let the guy ask a dam question!

Sheesh.

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by BIGTKLO

Why care about this racetrack? We should all care about racetracks closing. We should care about people losing jobs in this industry. How insensitive can one be to even ask why we should care about the closure of Rillito Park. Nice holiday spirit on your behalf.

Do you patronize businesses who sell overpriced products because you care about the employees and their jobs?

[BIGTKLO]

I just hate to see racetracks close. That's it guys. Vic you want to give me a thumbs down you go right ahead.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

Originally Posted by BIGTKLO

I just hate to see racetracks close. That's it guys. Vic you want to give me a thumbs down you go right ahead.

To each their own. If people don't agree then don't bother with it. However, is this post gets just one person to email them, then it has justified my reason for posting it. Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

To each their own. If people don't agree then don't bother with it. However, is this post gets just one person to email them, then it has justified my reason for posting it. Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone

I will write to them. With 1 less track you have less kids or teenagers or generation y's seeing racing.

You don't become a racing fan watching the derby on TV. You become one watching a live race, smelling the horse shit in the paddock and by breathing in the atmosphere at the track.

Most people forgot that and just want "contraction".

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

To the horse racing community,



As some of you may or may not be aware, Pima County officials are deliberating the fate of Rillito Park Race Track here in Tucson, Arizona. It is currently an issue that has been added to the agenda that will take place in January of 2016. The tentative winter opening date is scheduled for January 30th.

The Pima county officials are faced with the task of determining whether Rillito Park Race Track should be exclusively a soccer destination or a multi-use facility that would include horse racing.

If you were ever affiliated with Rillito Park Race Track, the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona, the horse racing industry in general, or just a fan, I urge to you contact the Pima county officials at their email addresses listed below. It is imperative that we come together at this time. The potential closure will have both short term and long term effects that will be felt for years after this decision is made. Rillito Park employs many people in the town, supports the breeding industry, and serves as a learning lab for the future leaders of the horse racing industry.

I thank you all for your anticipated support in this matter.

sharon.bronson@pima.gov Supervisor District 3

ally.miller@pima.gov Supervisor District 1

ramon.valadez@pima.gov Supervisor District 2

richard.elias@pima.gov Supervisor District 5

ray.carroll@pima.gov Supervisor District 4

chh@pima.gov County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry

robin.brigode@pima.gov Clerk of Court



Joe Longo

Graduate Student-University of Arizona-RTIP

longo@email.arizona.edu

I commend you for this thread and post !

[bello]

Rilito is one of the few tracks in the country I have not made it to. I actually passed right by it twice of the last couple of years going down to the live races in Sonoita AZ the last two years. Rillito meet closed just before that.

I actually am enamored by the horsemen and women who race for peanuts at these small tracks that are not supported by racinos. They do it for the love of the game, as I have witnessed in Sonoita and it is a dying phenomenon. Been to other fair tracks in AZ as well and they have disappeared. Senoita has a couple of day weekend meet on Derby weekend and it is as much fun for me as going to the Derby, even more. And the local community has figured out how to sustain the meet without State government assistance.

Though I believe in consolidation of track to some extent, not this one. There is a special need to keep these small track going that has been articulated so well by others in this thread. Thanks for the update and lets hope they continue to race,

[bello]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Let the guy ask a dam question!

Sheesh.

Classy post....very productive....added much to the discussion

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by BIGTKLO

I just hate to see racetracks close. That's it guys. Vic you want to give me a thumbs down you go right ahead.

OK