Laurel is dead? Pimlico rebuild?

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by Aerocraft67

Good point about the awareness, but any news coverage of the matter will no doubt make the connection for them. And this is well within the range of any journalist looking for something interesting to report for the Preakness.

Waning interest in the Preakness just raises the urgency here. They pegged the economic impact of the event at more than $50 million back in 2019. I'd be surprised if Governor Moore himself weren't pounding the table to get this more firmly resolved.

Unfortunately, the latest on this is behind a paywall at the Baltimore Sun. They may well have provided a suitable explanation. Here are yesterday's headlines:

Horse deaths, like those at Laurel Park, are routine in racing — one more reason to end the 'sport' - The Baltimore Sun
On April 21, horse racing at Laurel Park was suspended, a day after two horses died in back-to-back races. This mini crisis in Maryland...

Racing at Laurel Park to resume Saturday as horsemen, Maryland Jockey Club agree dirt surface is safe
Thoroughbred racing will return to Laurel Park on Saturday after the Maryland Racing Commission gave its blessing Thursday morning based on...

Maryland horse racing could consolidate at Pimlico, as the future of Laurel Park is 'very much in question'
Just a few years ago, the Maryland Jockey Club pushed to move the Preakness from Baltimore to Laurel Park. But soon, the track midway...

Avoiding the first one was kind of what I've been on about since PA prompted me to elaborate. The second one hopefully has the critical explanation to put further inquiry to rest. The third is probably an interesting update. Sorry, my library card appears to be expired, and I subscribe to other regional papers...

Eh, this is a backpage story at best, even locally, with the O's playing the way they are and Jackson agreeing to terms with the Ravens. The Triple Crown hype isn't there this year for whatever reason on a national scale imo.

There was an interesting article with a lot of details if you read between the lines in this morning's Sun regarding the future of Laurel, Maryland Racing, Pimlico, racing dates, and what Annapolis is doing to essentially get The Stronach Group out of Maryland.

[VeryOldMan]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

There was an interesting article with a lot of details if you read between the lines in this morning's Sun regarding the future of Laurel, Maryland Racing, Pimlico, racing dates, and what Annapolis is doing to essentially get The Stronach Group out of Maryland.

Posted it in response #27 above; see also my post #30 with additional Sun links.

Stepping back a bit re MD racing - it makes so much sense to consolidate on one track and move to fewer race dates. Add in the possibility of a greenfield stabling/training facility that takes advantage of all the horse country on the arc north of Baltimore. Fair Hill has been very successful in Cecil County, e.g.

It's an opportunity to "right size" Maryland horse racing. Seems like MD horse racing always manages to screw it up, so I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for a good outcome (I still marvel at the Maryland Live casino operating what was supposed to be the greased path towards Laurel getting slot machines, with Stronach being so arrogant as to neglect putting down the deposit required by the underlying state casino law).

[Aerocraft67]

Second leg of the Triple Crown three weeks away, and we're featuring articles from anti-race guy, prompted by unexplained breakdowns at Laurel, and a revival of the mess made of Maryland racing. Primary consolation is that no one is paying attention, but for a few armchair enthusiasts on PA.

That said, the consolidation of facilities and race dates does sound sensible, in line with one of the main themes of industry criticism around here. I have no quarrel sacrificing one track for the other, and take it at face value that revitalizing Pimlico makes more sense than Laurel, or trying to sustain both tracks.

Now that you mention Fair Hill, that's even closer to Delaware Park (30 minutes) than Pimlico (60 minutes), and shouting distance from the Pennsylvania tracks (100 minutes). A facility north/northwest of Pimlico would complement that. Squarely in horse country, closer to Charles Town and Penn National, away from soul-destroying mid-state traffic, yet accessible to BWI airport.

[The_Turf_Monster]

fwiw if you are a Maryland resident from outside of Baltimore City, it seems like the Enoch Pratt Library has some kind of digital library card that might get you access to the Sun through Pressreader if it's considered one of its databases.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by Al Gobbi

would the public need to sign off on any deal by a vote or can they just ram it through the Maryland legislature without any input from the taxpayers?

Though Maryland does have a referendum process, state law requires all state expenditures to be approved by the State Legislature.
In order to move forward with a statewide referendum, a petition must be drafted and submitted to the State Elections Board for approval to be placed on the ballot.
https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governi...ss_in_Maryland
The simple answer to your question is "no"...Expenditures are under the authority of the State Legislature.

[thespaah]

Onr thing is for certain. Until the City of Baltimore gets its collective head out of its ( posterior) and cleans up that neighborhood surrounding Pimlico, you won't catch me there.
I had a awesome pleasure of having to drive through that area on my way to a delivery.
Its indeed a scary area.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Onr thing is for certain. Until the City of Baltimore gets its collective head out of its ( posterior) and cleans up that neighborhood surrounding Pimlico, you won't catch me there.
I had a awesome pleasure of having to drive through that area on my way to a delivery.
Its indeed a scary area.

Never been to Pimilico, but went to Baltimore a couple times in the industrial area to pick up metal. The roads are in poor shape, pot holes galore. It reminded me of driving in Tijuana Mexico.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Onr thing is for certain. Until the City of Baltimore gets its collective head out of its ( posterior) and cleans up that neighborhood surrounding Pimlico, you won't catch me there.
I had a awesome pleasure of having to drive through that area on my way to a delivery.
Its indeed a scary area.

I road through the neighborhood directly behind Pimlico. CJ’s dad was driving…..we were running late. it was Preakness day or maybe the day before, I can’t remember. We ended up at the track right before the first race. It turned out to be a shortcut.

The kids selling water bottles on the corner, the graffiti etc had me kind of freaked out. Half the people on the street yelled hello to CJ’s dad. They knew him or had seen him before. I was a little uncomfortable. He didn’t blink an eye. He told me the reason he went that way was to show me some of the rougher side of Baltimore.

He later told me that years before, he was cab driver in that area at night as a 2nd job 20 yrs or more before our visit. The guy never met a stranger………it seemed. I still miss him.

[Thomas Roulston]

Could Colonial Downs, which not for nothing is the second largest racetrack in the U.S., fit in to this puzzle somewhere?

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Thomas Roulston

Could Colonial Downs, which not for nothing is the second largest racetrack in the U.S., fit in to this puzzle somewhere?

I wish they would get more than a token amount of race dates, that track is only about 60 miles from me.

[ronsmac]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I road through the neighborhood directly behind Pimlico. CJ’s dad was driving…..we were running late. it was Preakness day or maybe the day before, I can’t remember. We ended up at the track right before the first race. It turned out to be a shortcut.

The kids selling water bottles on the corner, the graffiti etc had me kind of freaked out. Half the people on the street yelled hello to CJ’s dad. They knew him or had seen him before. I was a little uncomfortable. He didn’t blink an eye. He told me the reason he went that way was to show me some of the rougher side of Baltimore.

He later told me that years before, he was cab driver in that area at night as a 2nd job 20 yrs or more before our visit. The guy never met a stranger………it seemed. I still miss him.

For roughly 15 years Baltimore showed some improvement over the deadly crack era 90s. Those days are over. Just yesterday 5 people got shot next to Lexington market, ages 38-63. Two days earlier 4 people including two women got shot near Moravia. The city is finished.

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I road through the neighborhood directly behind Pimlico. CJ’s dad was driving…..we were running late. it was Preakness day or maybe the day before, I can’t remember. We ended up at the track right before the first race. It turned out to be a shortcut.

The kids selling water bottles on the corner, the graffiti etc had me kind of freaked out. Half the people on the street yelled hello to CJ’s dad. They knew him or had seen him before. I was a little uncomfortable. He didn’t blink an eye. He told me the reason he went that way was to show me some of the rougher side of Baltimore.

He later told me that years before, he was cab driver in that area at night as a 2nd job 20 yrs or more before our visit. The guy never met a stranger………it seemed. I still miss him.

I miss CJ's Dad.

My father taught math in inner-city Baltimore for 20 some years starting around 1980. He had his own problems, but safe to say it took a toll on him.

Only time I remember of him crying, and the only time I ever heard him say a racial slur was after his girls' basketball team had a brutal program-ending fight with fans/students in the crowd.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by ronsmac

For roughly 15 years Baltimore showed some improvement over the deadly crack era 90s. Those days are over. Just yesterday 5 people got shot next to Lexington market, ages 38-63. Two days earlier 4 people including two women got shot near Moravia. The city is finished.

"Finished," which is why row houses are starting to list at over a million in some parts of the city

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by Thomas Roulston

Could Colonial Downs, which not for nothing is the second largest racetrack in the U.S., fit in to this puzzle somewhere?

Why would it? Totally different state, totally different owners, nothing to do with each other.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by castaway01

Why would it? Totally different state, totally different owners, nothing to do with each other.

But, other than that...