Reporter Tim Rudell

Thistledown dodges a shut down

Meets racing commission deadline to bring bond up to $1 million

Bankruptcy is a complex process and Thistledown's corporate parent had problems navigating the system as it entered bankruptcy protection. But, a $36,000 payment issued yesterday meant the track stayed open. Click to Listen Other options: Realplayer / Windows Media / MP3 Download (0:59)

Ohio Tracks

Beulah Park  - Grove City, http://www.beulahpark.com/
Lebanon Raceway - Lebanon
Northfield Park - Northfield, http://www.northfieldpark.com/
Raceway Park, Toledo, http://www.racewayparktoledo.com/
River Downs - Cincinnati, http://www.riverdowns.com/
Scioto Downs - Columbus, http://www.sciotodowns.com/index2.html
Thistledown - Cleveland, http://www.thistledown.com/

• According to the Ohio State Racing Commission, only New York has more standard-bred racing tracks. Of Ohio's seven tracks, four are standard-bred and three are thoroughbred tracks. The busiest of the tracks is Thistledown, whose parent company Magna Entertainment is in bankruptcy court.

Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

        http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=HR2

• "Horse racing has offered one of the few forms of legal gambling in Ohio since 1933, but the tracks have not flourished despite tax breaks from the state, which profits financially from their operation, and it is not clear whether or not off-track betting will help in the future. In addition to competing with other attractions for the public's recreational dollar, local horseracing is threatened by the increasing legalization of casino gambling in nearby states."

    Mary B. Stavish, Case Western Reserve University
   

Ohio State Racing Commission
      

  http://www.racing.ohio.gov/

• The Racing Commission estimates that 12,300 "fulltime equivalent" jobs currently generated by the horse racing industry. That includes jobs directly related to the horse racing industry and jobs labeled as "support services" to the racing industry, such as food services.
  

• View the Ohio State Racing Commission's plan to save racing in the state at: http://www.racing.ohio.gov/pdfs/Proposal.pdf

           You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.

Save Ohio Racing

• Save Ohio Racing is a group advocating to expand gambling at the racetracks, including slot machines.
  

                   http://www.saveohioracing.com/

Magna Entertainment

• Thistledown is owned and operated by Magna Enterntainment Corporation. To find out more about the company go to: http://www.magnaent.com/AboutMEC/Overview/

Web Resources

Magna Entertainment

Save Ohio Racing

Ohio State Racing Commission

Thistledown

Scioto Downs

River Downs

Raceway Park, Toledo

Northfield Park

Beulah Park