Pompano Park Closing - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

CheckMark · 04-08-2022, 10:57 AM

https://www.drf.com/news/harness-say...e-pompano-park

I know people have already known about this already that Pompano Park is closing (I sound stupid asking this) but what will they do with the property now?

I see that Jason Beem had a video up where he went to Pompano Park and then went to Calder (GP West) and when he went to Calder I was shocked to see that a racetrack has turned to sh*t with growing trees/bushes in like 2-3 years with the track being unrecognizable

daily_double · 04-08-2022, 02:52 PM

There is already a big casino there and the plan is to build a big hotel, probably where the track footprint is. It's a damn shame. I live in the cold midwest and used to love to vacation there in the winter for a couple weeks at a time. I haven't been there for 5 years, but last time I was there the old grandstand was kind of fenced off because a few of the big plate glass windows were falling out randomly onto the apron . I will miss going there, even though I was just an infrequent visitor

Charlie · 04-08-2022, 07:15 PM

For 10 years Harness Racing has fought decoupling, but the last gambling legislation which passed the Senate, House and then signed into law by the Governor killed any hope of Pompano remaining open. I believe "decoupling" is legislation that allows for tracks to close racing and put more money into Casino gaming. It's just awful if your a harness racing fan and I am. Other tracks could eventually be affected.
I was a frequent visitor of Rockingham Park which has now been closed for 6 years and I still miss going there. In other words, I still haven't gotten over its demise. They fought hard to remain open. In fact, they fought for 11 years and was constantly voted down by the House. In fact, one year they lost by one mere vote. So yes, I certainly feel badly for not only Pompano, but also all their fans.
Gee, I remember when Harness Racing was very very popular, but right now I believe it's in serious trouble. I wish for the good old days. They were certainly fun.

daily_double · 04-08-2022, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie

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I was a frequent visitor of Rockingham Park which has now been closed for 6 years and I still miss going there. In other words, I still haven't gotten over its demise. They fought hard to remain open. In fact, they fought for 11 years and was constantly voted down by the House. In fact, one year they lost by one mere vote. So yes, I certainly feel badly for not only Pompano, but also all their fans.
Gee, I remember when Harness Racing was very very popular, but right now I believe it's in serious trouble. I wish for the good old days. They were certainly fun.

I hear ya Charlie. Raceway Park in Toledo was my hangout from about 1990 until they closed some years ago. Same type of thing happened here. The track was in decline but then Ohio decided to allow VLT's to be installed at the states racetracks. Before they were ever installed at my track , casinos were approved and Penn National Gaming declared they wouldn't build in Toledo unless they were guaranteed that no other gambling establishments of any type could be located within a certain radius, like 50 miles or something like that. Our city government decided a shiny new casino was the better way to go. I was devastated . I absolutely loved the atmosphere of going to the track . Raceway Park had definitely seen better days, but that didn't make it any easier. The last live racing I attended was Pompano 5 years ago.

Charlie · 04-09-2022, 09:07 AM

I am sure there are many of us in the same boat. I believe casinos were supposed to help racing, but unfortunately in many cases the complete opposite is happening. In Rockingham Park's situation, they just couldn't compete with the surrounding casinos and the NH House refused to throw them a needed life boat. But anyway, I frequented Rockingham for some 50 years and was there when harness racing was was at its peak popularity. It was just the best time.

Bustin Stones · 04-09-2022, 10:41 AM

The demise of racing in America is about the emergence of forms of gambling that did not require a racing form.
50 years ago all you had was the bookie's daily number.
Then state lotteries took a bite out of that.
Then casinos and online poker took a bite out of all that.
Turns out, racing was not nearly as popular as we thought. It used to be one of the only ways to gamble. But, now, forced to stand on its own, it cannot find a way to compete. Racing had it too easy for too long and now paying that price.
There's always the chance the industry will get its act together. And we may not live to see that day. i'm not familiar with what other countries are doing to manage racing, but I don't think they're having the same problems to our degree.

1GCFAN · 04-10-2022, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daily_double

I hear ya Charlie. Raceway Park in Toledo was my hangout from about 1990 until they closed some years ago. Same type of thing happened here. The track was in decline but then Ohio decided to allow VLT's to be installed at the states racetracks. Before they were ever installed at my track , casinos were approved and Penn National Gaming declared they wouldn't build in Toledo unless they were guaranteed that no other gambling establishments of any type could be located within a certain radius, like 50 miles or something like that. Our city government decided a shiny new casino was the better way to go. I was devastated . I absolutely loved the atmosphere of going to the track . Raceway Park had definitely seen better days, but that didn't make it any easier. The last live racing I attended was Pompano 5 years ago.

Daily - Penn did the same to my track (Beulah Park) by closing it so not to compete with their casino in Columbus. Then they moved the racing license to Youngstown and opened up a track and racino. I will say Ohio harness has a sweet deal as they were able to wedge in a share of the casino $$ into the standalone casino referendum that was passed by the voters. Then the tracks were allowed to build racinos resulting in the bulk of their purse money.

Sea Biscuit · 04-18-2022, 11:35 PM

Nice article by Bill Finley who spells out the exact reasons as to Pompano Park's closing.

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co...all-of-racing/

Sea Biscuit · 04-19-2022, 12:09 AM

Final Closing Night Race Program of Pompano Park

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/d...LIVE%20PPL.pdf

Sea Biscuit · 04-19-2022, 12:14 AM

A Farewell to Pompano Park

Sea Biscuit · 04-20-2022, 02:16 PM

It was only appropriate that Wally Hennessey, the leading driver in the 58 year history of Pompano Park should win the last race before closing its doors permanently.

https://standardbredcanada.ca/news/4...inal-race.html

Zman179 · 04-21-2022, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sea Biscuit

It was only appropriate that Wally Hennessey, the leading driver in the 58 year history of Pompano Park should win the last race before closing its doors permanently.

https://standardbredcanada.ca/news/4...inal-race.html

You could tell that Miller on the 10 gave it to Wally. That win probably meant so much to Wally as he loved that place.
I thought it was so cool when Wally chugged a beer and chucked the can entering the winners circle.