Ellis Park closing, now opening
 

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/.../80702026/1003

Ellis Park owner Ron Geary said tonight he’s closing the Henderson, Ky., racetrack, which was scheduled to open its summer thoroughbred meeting on Friday. Geary said he made the decision after a federal judge denied his request for an injunction against Kentucky horsemen that would have allowed him to offer the track’s races to national account wagering outlets.

“I don’t have any plans on opening it again as a racetrack,” Geary said in a telephone interview. “That’s for sure.”

The shutdown leaves Kentucky horsemen without a place to race in the state for much of the summer after Churchill Downs' spring-summer meet ends Sunday. River Downs in Cincinnati is the closest alternative. Lisa Underwood, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, said Geary called her today to inform her that the track would not open for the meet. She said he did not address anything beyond that timeframe.

sounds like for good......

Hehehe.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/200...lispark-close/

More info.

Quite frankly the horsemen's mob and Geary can eat a bowl full of dicks.

I don't know anything about this story, and may be completely wrong, but my best guess is there's some posturing going on here.

On the other hand, I think horseplayers will respect a man who refuses to allow his own signal to be held captive.

I don't either (... know too much about the story) but I do remember Alpena Magic.

Hope Mr. Geary brings him home...

You went through a lot of trouble just to be able to bring that up.

:D

Why yes, yes i did.

I shall bring it up every chance i get.:p

Well it's obvious that the health care industry and horse racing industry aren't the same. Mr. Geary took a substantial hit in the wallet finding that out. He gambled on slots in a state where evangelicals still have control of government. Can't say I feel sorry for him.

I do, however, feel sorry for the employees, backside help and gamblers at Ellis Park.

The River Downs meet got a whole lot tougher I guess.

Wow I have loved to bet Ellis....

Sad to see its closing, I was curious to see how Mick Ruis would do down there trying to revamp his career...

I was looking forward to doing a few lines with Hebert.

Your comedy routine keeps on getting better and better...:rolleyes:

Ruis seems to have gotten in good with Jamie Sanders towards the end of this meet...

How did that happen?

Theres a combo right there :)

What kind of handicap is that?

Ruis +4lbs...

Sanders +?

I admit it wasn't as funny as insinuating Mick Ruis had a career. Top shelf.

Ellis closing is sad. However, horseman have alternative. They have River Downs, Hoosier, Mountaineer, etc etc. I am also pretty sure that Kentucky will do something. It wouldnt be that hard for Churchill to extend their meet for a couple of months.

Actually he had a couple of good years in So. Cal when he had his bug and did ok once he lost that....then he went downhill but he did contend for titles in So. Cal which is no easy task....but then again I don't think you ever have a positive thing to say about anyone or anything

That would be some meet. The current meet has been pretty dismal. Imagine one with most of the top horseman at either Saratoga or Arlington.

Penn National Gaming just got $1.5 billion to annull an LBO and remain a public company.

Don't be surprised if they make a run at the facility. They have some of the best gaming lobbyists in the country and WOULD get slots in there if they wanted to.

I don't get this. What possible reason is there for the horsemen to block the signal for Ellis Park? Their feud is with CDI. Why bring Ellis into it?

I think we bet Ellis every day last year at Saratoga. A real shame.

Yup, try to do something good by having a 4% takeout for a P4 and wind up shutdown the next year. Go figure.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Bug riders always do well. He lost the bug and faded away.

Yeah the Chicago bunch....nuff said.

Am I lumped into that?

Haber is good people though, although he has gotten internet aggressive lately.....

I don't know. You're not going to start getting offended when I make fun of bad riders are ya?

Catalano is the best trainer in America

there

I am done with riders, unless they are french, or named Shane Laviolette......

Save that until after Jesse in the third today

Geary just held a press conference. It's still closed. Unemployment reps are at the track. :(

Geary said even with the 10 ADW's signed he would still have a $600,000 loss for the meet. Not having the ADW's would result in a $2,700,000 loss.

$4,000,000 in ADW in 2007.
Projected $15,000,000 in 2008.

2.5% take for Ellis. $275,000 bump...yet still a $2,150,000 loss?

Hmm.

You live in that area, right? What is the sentiment- leave it closed or try to save it?

The Churchill spring meet is basically over after the Derby. So it essentially is a 1 week meet, then it becomes bad horses running in 95 degree heat, for $5000 purses, that 90% of the country can't bet on.

KY horse racing has become absolute garbage. Keeneland races on the polytrack, nobody can bet on Churchill, and there is no Ellis Park. Thank goodness for Turfway. :eek:

Leave the track open and get a new owner. Geary is not a popular guy.

I am sure hundreds are lining up to buy a track when they can't even control the signal that they own. Pools are likely to be smaller than at a local fair.

I gave you a buyer with fresh cash. They could easily make a run at it.

Was looking forward to a visit there in a couple weeks, hopefully this bluff-down breaks up and we get so see some racing there.

If I recall, Geary was the only interested party left when Churchill had it for sale.

This is a pretty telling quote from a gentleman who is highly regarded locally...

I think it is a great move by Geary. Screw the horsemen. Overall, they are getting more than they deserve anyway via slot subsidies.

Just as there is far from any guarantee of making money betting, there shouldn't be one for being a horsemen either.

They want more money. Where does anyone here think that money is going to come from? ADWs won't stick around if they can't make a profit. Racetracks are the same. So, where would this "additional" horsemen's money come from? Of course the usual, the bettor will pay for it.

The game needs ADWs to survive. Do the horsemen honestly think people will come back to the track? Do they think we will open 15 separate accounts so we can bet on all the tracks? If so, they are idiots. The only hope they have is to get people to bet more money, not by making it harder to bet and taking more of what we do.