Reports out of Windsor indicate that the owners of the now-shuttered Windsor Raceway are not necessarily counting out racing again at the Essex County five-eighths mile oval.
A report published on the Windsor Star website contains quotes from Winrac Development President Pat Soulliere.
"A lot of things are happening in the province right now," said Soulliere. "We’re keeping a close eye on it to see where it goes.”
Winrac owns the Windsor track and also operates tracks in Dresden and Woodstock. Neither Windsor nor Woodstock are hosting live harness racing in 2013 but Soulliere says Winrac is awaiting the details of the OLG modernization plan before making any further decisions on the Windsor track.
"We have no plans to demolish it right now," said Soulliere. "We’ll leave it as is and see what the future holds with the industry."
The news comes as a surprise to Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain, part of the group that established the Lakeshore Raceway project to provide horsemen in the area with a place to race.
"I don’t see a future for Windsor Raceway," said Bain. "We tried negotiating with them (Winrac), but we were far apart, there’s just no way — what’s needed is a not-for-profit model."
This all goes back to the
This all goes back to the Golden Goose that started laying eggs in 1996 and abruptly stopped in 2013. Easy to say now, but the OLG especially, and ORC should have established standards by which track operators/owners would be held to. They gabbed the easy money with no respect for the customer. The horse people bitched on the sidelines about conditions, but enjoyed the good life as purses were generous.
This scenario was highly predictable. You can blame the Liberals, but the OLG was the real fox in the henhouse. The only ones who really noticed were the consistently fleeced friends of the game (customers). I would hope Winrac gets shutout at the betting wicket this time.
Winrac should never be
Winrac should never be involved in racing again. What they took out of Windsor raceway is criminal. The money that was to be used to improve the facilities there were pocketed by these people. They took a facility that was the pride of Ontario and in 10 years made it look so bad. Get these people out of the industry and let Leamington take a shot at trying to revive our industry in southwestern Ontario.
Well said Bob. I applaud you
Well said Bob. I applaud you for speaking out against Winrac for you saw firsthand being the most decorated stable ever to race there in the history of the track, the destruction Winrac did to a once proud track.
Message to the ORC:
When the leading trainer in the history of the track who is held is the highest regard in this industry makes a statement like he has about Winrac it is your resposibility to ensure that these slumlords as Bob has annointed them never ever are able to do further damage to any racetrack ever again. Furthermore, they should have their racing licence revoked at Dresden as well as the offtrack Bob speaks of. With the ORC purse surplus they have stockpiled they can operate Dresden themselves for the remainder of this year.
Mr. Toldo and his management
Mr. Toldo and his management team don't deserve to get their license or dates back. When things got tough they bailed instead of fighting like the rest of us. It is because of this owner/management team and their lack of ability and effort to properly manage the track that is a BIG REASON for the state that our industry is in. Now that the Lakeshore group has a valid proposal on the table these greedy slum lords, like Bob put it, want back in. If the ORC gives them back their license...
Just another ploy by these
Just another ploy by these slum landlords of racing.They operate a off trck betting parlor in Windsor which the ORC should shut down.This announcement is made only because of the Lakeshore Groups plan to build a new racetrack.
Bob McIntosh
Winrac should have no place
Winrac should have no place in this business and never should be able to have live racing again at any track. Their facilities are all run down and they never sank one damn dime into them. They are greedy, self serving and never gave a damn about anybody racing in this industry and you can quote me on that!! With owners like them this business will go nowhere. Keep them out!!