Michigan Gaming - Detroit Casino News

Horse Racing News - 2005

December 8, 2005

Jackson Racing, a subsidiary of MTR Gaming Group, Inc., purchased a 90 percent interest in the Jackson Harness Raceway for $2 million. Jackson Trotting Association, LLC, is the previous owner/operator of Jackson Harness Raceway, which offers live racing dates annually and year-round simulcasting with pari-mutuel wagering. MTR is the parent company of Mountaineer Racetrack & Gaming Resort in Chester, West Virginia, and also owns Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio, and the Ramada Inn and Speedway Casino in North Las Vegas. MTR is currently investing in a proposed Minnesota harness race track and is beginning work on Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania. Presque Isle Downs is a proposed $80 million racetrack/casino which plans to begin offering slot machines next fall and live racing in the fall of 2007.

October 21, 2005

Racing Commissioner Christine C. White approved the 2006 live horse racing schedule for Michigan's six pari-mutuel racetracks. The 2006 schedule calls for 343 days of Standardbred racing at four locations, 104 days of Thoroughbred racing and 34 days of Mixed Breed racing. Mixed Breed racing includes Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Appaloosa and American Paint Horses. The 2006 live racing dates are down 10.5 percent from the number of live racing dates in 2005. The number of live racing dates in 2005 was 561, while 481 dates are planned for the 2006 season. Click here for a complete 2006 live racing schedule. More Michigan Horse Racing information may be found at michigan.gov/horseracing.

October 30, 2005

Saginaw Harness Raceway has closed for business and will not conduct live racing in 2006. While the Michigan Horse Racing Commission initially did grant Saginaw Raceway 18 live race days in 2006, Marshall Davis, one of the three track owners, told The Saginaw News that the track is closing. Saginaw Raceway's racing dates were re-distributed to other Michigan tracks. The raceway has been loosing money for the past five years.

October 28, 2005

Ms. Christine White is officially Michigan's Horse Racing Commissioner. Governor Granholm made Ms. White's appointment on August 31, 2005, and Michigan law provides a 60 day waiting period for the Senate to reject an appointment. After a two-day hearing, the Senate did not reject Ms. White's appointment. Ms. White has been Interim Racing Commissioner since January 2005. Her term will expire on December 31, 2008.

October 25, 2005

The Windsor Township Board unanimously denied a request for a special-use permit for a proposed horse park facility with horse racing, simulcast betting and a hotel on a 200-acre site north of Pinch Highway between Nixon and Lansing roads. The Board indicated two reasons for the denial: 1) the size of the road to the parcel is insufficient; and 2) the sewage handling plans need more detail. Dorian Lange's proposal is for a $82.5 million equine and entertainment center. Mr. Lange said because a first-rate horse park at the site needs no special permit, he will proceed with that phase of the project while working on the specified Township requirements. Mr. Lange plans to present preliminary site plans for the Michigan Horse Park project at the Planning Commission next month.

September 16, 2005

Michigan Racing Commissioner Christine White announced the Michigan Sire Stakes will take place on September 24, 2005 (post time 7:35 p.m.), hosted by Hazel Park Harness Raceway and Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association.

August 31, 2005

Gov. Granholm appointed Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White to the position of Michigan Racing Commissioner. Ms. White's appointment is for a term which expires on December 31, 2008.

July 14, 2005

Windsor Township Planning Commission tabled a decision on the "special-use permit application" for a horse park for 30 days. The Township has several studies to review on Dorian Lange's proposed $85 million equestrian center, thoroughbred racetrack with simulcast betting and entertainment complex before a recommendation can be made. A special August 6 meeting is scheduled to vote on the matter.

July 13, 2005

A unanimous Michigan Commission of Agriculture decision named Mitch Irwin as the new Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture to replace Dan Wyant, who resigned effective July 29, 2005. Currently the Director of the Michigan Department of Management and Budget, Mr. Irwin previously served on the Michigan State Senate from 1979 to 1990, the Economic Development Corporation of Chippewa County and the Eastern U.P. Regional Planning and Development Commission. He was one of four candidates interviewed for the position.

June 10, 2005

Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White issued an order approving a new form of wagering at Michigan's licensed race tracks, the ten cent Superfecta wager. A Superfecta involves correctly choosing the first four horses in a race. In issuing her Order, the Racing Commissioner noted that "offering the possibility of a large payout for a relatively small wager can attract the more casual racing fan."

Mary 17, 2005

At a Detroit press conference, Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White announced that the Racing Commission was awarding the one available racetrack license in the Detroit-Metropolitan area to Michigan Racing Inc., a fully owned subsidiary of Magna Entertainment Corporation. The new racetrack, Michigan Downs, is slated to commence live Thoroughbred racing as early as 2009. The 212-acre project site is on the northeast corner of Vining and Wick Roads in Romulus, about two miles from the Detroit Metro Airport.

May 16, 2005

Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White will hold a press release on May 17 at 11:30 a.m. to announce the Metro-Detroit racetrack license recipient. Selection of the race track developer and the new track location will be made from the four proposals submitted for the single license. The proposed track operators and locations sites are:

Triple Creek Downs, Van Buren Township
Meritis Raceway and Entertainment, Romulus
Michigan Downs, Romulus
Xanadu World, Highland Park

April 22, 2005

Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White issued a Revised 2005 Live Racing Schedule, which altered the number of 2005 racing dates for Great Lakes Downs from 118 to 105. Live racing at the track will now commence on Monday, May 16, 2005. To review the 2005 Live Racing Schedule, click here.

April 7, 2005

Michigan Acting Racing Commissioner Christine White approved MTR Gaming Group Inc.'s plan to purchase a 90 percent share in the Jackson Trotting Association, operator of Jackson harness Raceway in Jackson, Michigan.

March 28, 2005

A Hazel Park Harness Raceway press release announced that the 2005 racing season will kick off on Monday, April 4 with fan appreciation night featuring dollar night and free betting vouchers. Fans will experience the track's multi-million dollar renovations and view the races from a new state-of-the-art grandstand. Additionally, Hazel Park has a new Internet radio show at hazelparkraceway.com, featuring racing updates, events, interviews and trackside racing.

March 12, 2005

The Office of Racing Commissioner honored Michigan's leading 2004 state-bred horses at the Michigan Horse Council's International Stallion Expo at the Michigan State University Agriculture Pavilion in East Lansing. Acting Racing Commissioner Christine C. White recognized the award winning horses in the following categories: 1) Rasberry Worthy - Standardbred Trotter; 2) Mr. Minority - Standardbred Pacer; 3) Rockem Sockem - Thoroughbred; 4) Wonder Smith - Quarter Horse; 5) Mr. Wright On - Arabian. This is the first time a Michigan-bred Arabian has been acknowledged with an award.

February 15, 2005

Live racing is now scheduled to begin at Northville Downs on Tuesday, March 1, 2005. A quarantine, due to four cases of equine herpes virus, was initiated on February 9, 2005, and extended on February 15 by the Michigan Racing Commissioner and the Michigan Department of Agriculture through the end of February. Papers showing proof of vaccination against equine herpes within the last six months for all horses entering any of Michigan's seven racetracks became effective on February 15 as well.

February 9, 2005

The fourth confirmed case of equine herpes virus ("EHV-1") since December 2004 has closed the Northville Downs racetrack until Tuesday, February 15, 2005. Michigan Department of Agriculture ("MDA") Director Dan Wyant issued a press release indicating that the MDA and Michigan Office of Racing Commissioner jointly authorized the quarantine of all horse facilities and the prohibition of horses arriving or leaving the racetrack as well as the initiation of other procedures to contain the disease while an investigation is conducted. Northville Downs' simulcast wagering operations continue during the quarantine.

February 1, 2005

The Ontario Harness Horse Association has filed a $10 million complaint against Windsor Raceway, alleging that the track went back on its word to race 153 days in 2005. Windsor Star reported the complaint alleges breach of contract and trust, misrepresentation and misappropriation of funds. In a February 1, 2005, press release, Windsor Raceway indicated it believes the claims lack merit, and that the track will defend the action.

January 21, 2005

Windsor Raceway accepted the Ontario Racing Commission's proposed amendments to its 2005 license application, and harness racing will resume on Sunday, January 23, 2005. Windsor Raceway will have 131 race dates in 2005 and average a minimum of 15 races per race date.

January 20, 2005

Governor Granholm appointed Christine C. White as acting Racing Commissioner to replace R. Robert Geake whose appointment expired on December 31, 2004. The Governor's press secretary Liz Boyd told Gongwer that the Governor would likely name a full-term racing commissioner by spring.

January 19, 2005

Department of Agriculture Director Dan Wyant announced the confirmed case of equine herpes virus 1 ("EHV-1") at Northville Downs. One Northville Downs' barn is under quarantine. In mid-December 2004, two previous cases were diagnosed in a non-adjacent barn resulting in a three-week quarantine of that barn. The three diseased horses have been euthanized. More information is available at http://www.michigan.gov/horseracing (see press releases).

January 19, 2005

In his State of the City address, Romulus Mayor Alan Lambert indicated he and the City Council continue to support the proposed horse racing track at Vining Road and I-94. Magna Entertainment Corp. proposed the project and is waiting to hear from the Michigan Racing Commissioner's Office. The Detroit News reported Mayor Lambert said the proposed racetrack, to be named Michigan Downs, would be an "asset to the community."

January 18, 2005

The Ontario Racing Commission ("ORC") presented an amendment to the Windsor Raceway license application for 2005, which, if accepted, would bring live harness racing back to the track. ORC proposed the track run 131 race days with no fewer than 15 races per card. Windsor Raceway has not yet responded to the proposal.

January 10, 2005

Windsor Raceway owners requested assistance from Mayor Eddie Francis, council members and MPPs to initiate a meeting with the Ontario Racing Commission and Windsor Raceway to discuss a resolution of the 2005 racing schedule. Mayor Francis indicated to the Windsor Star that because the Commission has jurisdiction over this issue, he wanted to respect the process and urged both parties to begin discussions.

January 3, 2005

The Ontario Racing Commission rejected Windsor Raceway's latest bid for 2005 race dates causing the layoff of 150 employees and a dark track on Sunday, which was to have been the track's first live race card in the 2005 season.

January 1, 2005

Because of the dispute over the number of 2005 race days scheduled at Windsor Raceway, simulcast wagering has stopped and approximately 1,000 local horse people have no place to race. The slots parlor remains open.