On Tuesday, Aug. 15, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino officially opened a new, state-of-the-art race administration located on the property’s backside. The $4 million plus project broke ground in September of 2016, and now houses the Hoosier Park Race Office, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC), the Indiana Standardbred Association (ISA) Medical Facility, and the Track Chaplain.
Hoosier Park’s original race office was constructed along with the track in 1994. As the need for more office and parking space increased, a decision to replace the outdated structure was made in early 2016.
Hoosier Park’s Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Scott Peine stated “It’s hard to find the adjectives to describe how spectacular this building is. Not only does it provide a great working environment for the racing office and IHRC, it houses the track chaplain, and provides a medical office for the horsemen. From my point of view, it is the best racing office ever built. Centaur Gaming’s commitment to horse racing is second to none and looking at this building, you can see it.”
The new administration building comes just in time for the 2017 Breeders Crown, harness racing’s annual series of 12 championship events valued at $6 million, to be held on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Other beneficial improvements have been made including a renovated tote board, new tractors and trucks used for track and facility maintenance, and a walkway that allows horsemen to walk from the barn area to Hoosier Park’s apron.
“The new administration building is an exceedingly valuable addition to our track,” said Rick Moore, vice-president and general manager of racing at Hoosier Park. “Centaur Gaming’s dedication to horse racing, in particular Rod Ratcliff, Centaur’s Chairman and CEO, and Jim Brown, Centaur’s president and COO, is motivating to the entire team here at Hoosier Park. Being a part of this team makes me extremely proud.”
Demolition of the original building and final completion of the site and landscaping will continue until the beginning of October. Hoosier Park plans to host a ribbon-cutting celebration and building tours on October 10, leading up to the racing season’s most anticipated event – the 34th edition of the Breeders Crown.
(Hoosier Park)