New racetrack near Detroit Airport
 

Today, Bloodhorse.com:

Michigan Thoroughbred owner and banking executive Jerry Campbell announced Oct. 8 plans for a new racetrack and retail complex to be located near Detroit Metro Airport

Campbell’s announcement said the track would operate a live meet annually between March and November that would be highlighted by the Michigan Derby. The $500,000 race for 3-year-olds would be held at Pinnacle Race Course in early April and would include a $5-million bonus for any horse that won the Michigan Derby and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

March in Detroit should be fun

Half a million dollars sounds pretty fun. They didn't mention the track surface composition ;)

Shopping and horse racing - drop the wives off, and the guys have something to do for the afternoon! :D

Yeah but if you need graded money it aint gonna help you get the bonus...though I like the concept

What about the name...Pinnacle???
Named after the betting site?

Slot machine driven I'm assuming?

I dont know...

The end of Great Lakes Downs means the new Detroit track. I know Great Lakes Downs wasn't very nice, but it was 5 minutes from my house, o well, maybe not having a track so close will be a good thing for me.

Nostalgia? :D

winter gear including, those kevlar Dee Tee vests?:D

There will now be a curcuit for the Kevlar jackets..N.O.in the winter and then off to Detroit for the rest of the year....gonna start production soon...

Site for the track is 30 miles from Detroit. You're probably safe. Are you as expert on Detroit as you are on Hialeah?

No Detroit is too cold. I prefer my sketchy areas to be at least moderately warm.

to me the detroit airport area is totally unappealing for a racing venue. what will you get? southern suburb folks? toledo migrants? ann arborites?
for most in the detroit metro area i would think a drive out to the airport will not be convenient. its just not a happening area.

As I know because I live in Michigan like Irshman, March is a hellish month. The wind blows like there is no tomorrow and it snows every March all the way up until the last week of April. I remember one year we still had snow on the ground when they ran the Derby one year. Sure you'll get a few nice days then it turns on you like a rabid skunk.

First of all, you won't need kevlar-- the area around the airport isn't sketchy at all. And the location isn't that bad considering that there are very few places in and around Detroit to build a new racetrack. There are two freeways (I-275 and I-94) that intersect right by the airport, so that would make it easy to access.

March is definitely a crappy month to start racing-- it's cold, windy, and there is usually some snow still on the ground. The snow doesn't disappear for good until Easter. The summer months would be great, but the beginning in March and the end in November could be rough.

I'm happy that we might have thoroughbred racing back in Detroit again.

I'll keep the Kevlar for protection from James Jackson and his baseball bat

According to Thirty-Six Hundo there is no such thing as a ghetto.

Pinacle
 

For those of us who live in the purgatory of horse racing (MI), this is good news. That this attempt is not tied to slots is especially encouraging. The 3 big casinos' took the last Racino ballot attempt personally and helped kill racing in MI.

The airport greater area may not be the trendy hot spot but it does give better access to Toledo, downtown, Lansing & Jackson areas. They need to promote this as a Michigan track not just Detroit. If I only have Thistle or Hoosier as options within 3-4 hours, a new place may get some play.

With no OTB's and a few downtrodden harness tracks, our options for simulcasting are some of the worst in the country. I can live with 40 degrees & windy in March especially with an indoor simulcast haven.