Council Supporting Kawartha’s Position

Published: December 7, 2017 05:16 pm EST

On Wednesday (December 6), Peterborough County Council agreed to show Ontario politicians its support for an expanded schedule of live racing at Kawartha Downs in 2018.

According to an article by the Peterborough Examiner, the council has agreed to send letters which support Kawartha’s desire to host 40 dates of live racing in 2018 – twenty-two more than the track hosted during its successful 2017 campaign.

The Peterborough Examiner piece states that letters of support will be sent to Ontario Racing and other key cabinet ministers, including Jeff Leal, Ontario’s Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister.

According to the article, Karl Moher, the deputy mayor of Douro Dummer Township, wants to do more than just send letters of endorsement – he is looking to have a sit-down meeting with Ontario Racing officials, among others, in regard to the issue.

News of Kawartha’s desire for more race dates in 2018 have been front and centre during recent months. On the heels of a strong 2017 live campaign in which it hosted 18 race dates and brought in new ownership and a new general manager, Kawartha applied for 40 live race dates for the 2018 season, despite the region’s new gaming operator, Ontario Gaming East Limited Partnership, intending to relocate the track’s gaming offerings to the new Shorelines facility in Peterborough.

Ontario Racing later denied the track’s request for 40 race dates in 2018, which has led to much feedback and fireworks at Queens Park.

(With files from the Peterborough Examiner)

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