Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Asaro
First of all Pomona/Fairplex loses a lot of money.
The Los Al deal was done because Jack Liebau and Doc Allred wanted it done. So did Mike Pegram and the TOC. Jack Liebau is the smartest guy in California Racing for decades but most of his short term deals benefit him and his friends at the expense of the long term health of California Racing. Liebau knew what was going on at Pomona and could have easily steered it there. We'd have a training center with a dirt and turf course but nooooooooooo. They also sold Los Al because of it's location. They told everyone they'd fill up the grandstand with people. That never happened.
Head of L.A. County Fair Assn. quits after Times investigation
Excerpt:
The chief executive of the Los Angeles County Fair Assn., who made more than $1 million in total compensation in 2014 even as the nonprofit organization reported steep financial losses, resigned Wednesday, saying he had "become a distraction" to its work.
Henwood's departure follows a Los Angeles Times investigation that found that he and other executives received lucrative pay and benefit packages despite several years of red ink at the association. The organization stages the annual fair and operates a number of year-round enterprises at the taxpayer-owned fairgrounds in Pomona.
In 2014, the most recent year for which figures are available, the association reported a loss of $3.44 million, federal tax returns show — its fifth straight year of negative results. During that period, compensation for Henwood and his top managers increased dramatically. |
1. In other words, Fairplex was losing tons of money up until the time that they got rid of live racing, which was one of their biggest money losers.
2. Of all the uses for LA County Fair land, a racetrack is probably the biggest possible loser. They couldn't wait to dump it.
3. You are ignoring that the dates suck. Nobody is going to give Pomona dates in February. It would have been just like Los Al- the same dates that Hollywood Park, a much better location, couldn't make money or generate field size operating.
4. The reason there are any "deals" at all is because the horsemen and a lot of others are in denial about lack of public interest in year round racing.
You can't solve the fact that the California betting public hates racing in early December by putting Jack Liebau on the case. He wasn't making money with these dates when he ran Hollywood Park.
You and everyone else need to accept that the public does not desire this product. We need far less racing in Southern California.
