Bay Meadows "an upscale shopping and residential site"

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I disagree with your assessment about the significance of Hollywood Park's history. Hollywood Park has been there for over 70 years. There is tremendous history there. They used to get over 60,000 people out there on big days. It used to be a big deal to go out to Hollywood Park. That was the place to be back in the 1970s and 1980s. Today you see all of these celebrities at Laker games. In the old days, the track was where all the celebrities would go. It will be a sad day if Hollywood Park closes.

So because Hollywood Park use to draw crowds its supposed to be considered historically significant? Really? Is there any more historical significance to hollywood park than Yankee stadium? I dont think its even close. Hollywood Park isnt even in the same stratosphere as the old Yankee stadium in terms significance. The old Yankee stadium was still packing them in when they closed it.

I dont deny that it will be sad when it closes...to us horse racing fans. My point is that there arent too many of us left and the number certainly isnt growing. And if thats the case, do you think a vast majority of people really care if Hollywood Park closes?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

So because Hollywood Park use to draw crowds its supposed to be considered historically significant? Really? Is there any more historical significance to hollywood park than Yankee stadium? I dont think its even close. Hollywood Park isnt even in the same stratosphere as the old Yankee stadium in terms significance. The old Yankee stadium was still packing them in when they closed it.

I dont deny that it will be sad when it closes...to us horse racing fans. My point is that there arent too many of us left and the number certainly isnt growing. And if thats the case, do you think a vast majority of people really care if Hollywood Park closes?

Here is some of Hollywood Park's history. I guess it's subjective whether you think it's historically significant or not.

Opening Day — June 10, 1938
The Hollywood Turf Club was formed under the chairmanship of Jack L. Warner (of the Warner Brothers film corporation). The 600 original shareholders included many stars, directors and producers of the film world, such as Al Jolson and Raoul Walsh (two of the original directors of the board); Joan Blondell; Ronald Colman; Walt Disney; Bing Crosby; Sam Goldwyn; Darryl Zanuck; George Jessel; Ralph Bellamy; Hal Wallis; Anatole Litvak; Hunt Stromberg; Wallace Beery; Irene Dunne, and the late Mervyn LeRoy (director of Hollywood Park from 1941 until his death in 1986).

Legendary Seabiscuit Takes Inaugural Gold Cup
The legendary Seabiscuit was victorious in 1938’s inaugural running of the Hollywood Gold Cup, the track’s signature race which would be won 11 times by Thoroughbreds distinguished as Horse of the Year: 1938, Seabiscuit; 1940, Challedon; 1951, Citation; 1956, Swaps; 1957, Round Table; 1971, Ack Ack; 1979, Affirmed; 1987, Ferdinand; 1990, Criminal Type; 1995, Cigar; 1998, Skip Away

For more on the history of HP, go to:
http://hollywoodpark.com/about-history

Hollywood Park certainly doesn't draw huge crowds any more. But I don't know if that makes HP any less historically significant.

You compared HP to some places that were torn down and rebuilt. If HP was going to be rebuilt, then I don't think people would be nearly as upset.

[dalakhani]

[quote=Rupert Pupkin]Here is some of Hollywood Park's history. I guess it's subjective whether you think it's historically significant or not.

Opening Day — June 10, 1938
The Hollywood Turf Club was formed under the chairmanship of Jack L. Warner (of the Warner Brothers film corporation). The 600 original shareholders included many stars, directors and producers of the film world, such as Al Jolson and Raoul Walsh (two of the original directors of the board); Joan Blondell; Ronald Colman; Walt Disney; Bing Crosby; Sam Goldwyn; Darryl Zanuck; George Jessel; Ralph Bellamy; Hal Wallis; Anatole Litvak; Hunt Stromberg; Wallace Beery; Irene Dunne, and the late Mervyn LeRoy (director of Hollywood Park from 1941 until his death in 1986).

Legendary Seabiscuit Takes Inaugural Gold Cup
The legendary Seabiscuit was victorious in 1938’s inaugural running of the Hollywood Gold Cup, the track’s signature race which would be won 11 times by Thoroughbreds distinguished as Horse of the Year: 1938, Seabiscuit; 1940, Challedon; 1951, Citation; 1956, Swaps; 1957, Round Table; 1971, Ack Ack; 1979, Affirmed; 1987, Ferdinand; 1990, Criminal Type; 1995, Cigar; 1998, Skip Away

For more on the history of HP, go to:
http://hollywoodpark.com/about-history

Hollywood Park certainly doesn't draw huge crowds any more. But I don't know if that makes HP any less historically significant.

You compared HP to some places that were torn down and rebuilt. If HP was going to be rebuilt, then I don't think people would be nearly as upset.[/QUOTE]

Isnt that the point though? If Hollywood Park were significant to all but a minority, it would be restored, replaced or moved. No?

If baseball was in the same shape as a sport as horse racing, do you think a new yankee stadium would be going up regardless of history? It would be suffering the same fate as hollywood park.

[Rupert Pupkin]

[quote=dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Here is some of Hollywood Park's history. I guess it's subjective whether you think it's historically significant or not.

Opening Day — June 10, 1938
The Hollywood Turf Club was formed under the chairmanship of Jack L. Warner (of the Warner Brothers film corporation). The 600 original shareholders included many stars, directors and producers of the film world, such as Al Jolson and Raoul Walsh (two of the original directors of the board); Joan Blondell; Ronald Colman; Walt Disney; Bing Crosby; Sam Goldwyn; Darryl Zanuck; George Jessel; Ralph Bellamy; Hal Wallis; Anatole Litvak; Hunt Stromberg; Wallace Beery; Irene Dunne, and the late Mervyn LeRoy (director of Hollywood Park from 1941 until his death in 1986).

Legendary Seabiscuit Takes Inaugural Gold Cup
The legendary Seabiscuit was victorious in 1938’s inaugural running of the Hollywood Gold Cup, the track’s signature race which would be won 11 times by Thoroughbreds distinguished as Horse of the Year: 1938, Seabiscuit; 1940, Challedon; 1951, Citation; 1956, Swaps; 1957, Round Table; 1971, Ack Ack; 1979, Affirmed; 1987, Ferdinand; 1990, Criminal Type; 1995, Cigar; 1998, Skip Away

For more on the history of HP, go to:
http://hollywoodpark.com/about-history

Hollywood Park certainly doesn't draw huge crowds any more. But I don't know if that makes HP any less historically significant.

You compared HP to some places that were torn down and rebuilt. If HP was going to be rebuilt, then I don't think people would be nearly as upset.[/QUOTE]

Isnt that the point though? If Hollywood Park were significant to all but a minority, it would be restored, replaced or moved. No?

If baseball was in the same shape as a sport as horse racing, do you think a new yankee stadium would be going up regardless of history? It would be suffering the same fate as hollywood park.

I agree with you. Horseracing is obviously not that popular any more. I think their average on-track attendance is about 5,000 at HP. That obviously doesn't compare to baseball teams that are drawing 40,000 a night.

[chucklestheclown]

Originally Posted by dalakhani-history[/url

If baseball was in the same shape as a sport as horse racing, do you think a new yankee stadium would be going up regardless of history? It would be suffering the same fate as hollywood park.

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Hollywood Park isnt even in the same stratosphere as the old Yankee stadium in terms significance. The old Yankee stadium was still packing them in when they closed it.

Nothing personal, but you must be a younger Fan, and perhaps a Yankees fan.

I'm neither.

Perhaps with Yankee blinkers on the place always was packed, but real world was that when the Yankees sucked in the 1960's and 1970's years, almost no one came to the park. See "bandwagon" and "fairweather." Even in New York.

In those seasons the Yankees drew an average of about 14,000 and change fans per game....over about a 15 season span.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/yankatte.shtml

I wouldn't pin historical significance much on attendance in all cases.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

Nothing personal, but you must be a younger Fan, and perhaps a Yankees fan.

I'm neither.

Perhaps with Yankee blinkers on the place always was packed, but real world was that when the Yankees sucked in the 1960's and 1970's years, almost no one came to the park. See "bandwagon" and "fairweather." Even in New York.

In those seasons the Yankees drew an average of about 14,000 and change fans per game....over about a 15 season span.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/yankatte.shtml

I wouldn't pin historical significance much on attendance in all cases.

I didnt say the place was "always packed". I said the place was still packing them in when they closed it. And where did I say attendance had anything to do with historical significance?

I used Yankee stadium as an example of a park that had historical significance...it did. Its gone. Boston Garden as well...much more historical signficance to the public at large than hollywood park. There is a reason they are gone and there is a reason Hollywood park is going. Its called economics and if the economics made sense it would be restored, replaced or moved. At the end of the day, no one cares but racing fans really. And we are a tiny, dwindling minority.