More than 50 years removed from the days of the Phoenix Trotting Park, harness racing could be making a return to the Grand Canyon State.
The board of Webis, the operators of California's Cal Expo racetrack, announced on Friday (April 8) that its subsidiary WatchandWager.com LLC has signed a contract with the owners of Arizona Downs racetrack in Prescott Valley, Arizona for a commercial lease to operate live harness racing, pari-mutuel wagering and food and beverage operations at the venue, subject only to regulatory approval.
"This is a significant new contract for WatchandWager augmenting last week’s announcement of the extension of its contract to run live harness racing at Cal Expo, in Sacramento, California, until 2030," said Webis in its release.
The contract is for five years to November 15, 2027, with an option to renew for a further five years.
"WatchandWager understand that the Arizona Department of Gaming will consider the provision of regulatory approval, currently expected to be in the summer of 2022," continued Webis. "Shareholders will be kept up to date with progress on the approval process and the plans for live racing at the new venue."
Formerly known as Yavapai Downs and Prescott Downs, Arizona Downs is located approximately 90 minutes north of Phoenix. The track hosted thoroughbred racing in 2021.