Jim Thibert, the CEO of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, has said that he is “thinking much more positively than I have in a long time” in regard to the future of the historic Fort Erie Race Track for thoroughbreds.

Thibert’s comments come via a report by Bullet News Niagara which states that recent meetings between the FELRC and the Ontario horse racing transition panel has drawn the Ontario Government closer to the racetrack file.

The article has cited Thibert as saying that Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has ‘a full understanding of the track and the issues that surround it’ and that he expects a ‘favourable’ announcement regarding the future of the track to be coming in a week or two.

The report has quoted Thibert as saying that Premier Wynne “certainly understands the case and we know she understands it,” adding, “I know it's been rough on everyone and we still have a couple weeks before we finalize our plan but it's looking pretty good.”

The article has also cited Thibert as saying that a five-year plan for the track is being formulated with an outside firm.

(With files from Bullet News Niagara)