Dog racing comes to an end in Oregon
Magna Entertainment, which ran greyhound racing at Multnomah Greyhound Park, blames gambling competitors
Friday, December 24, 2004
ERIC MORTENSON
The operator of Multnomah Greyhound Park in Wood Village announced Thursday it will not renew its lease, likely ending 70 years of dog racing in Oregon.
The news from Magna Entertainment Corp. was welcomed by an animal protection group but brought protests and regrets from racing backers and fans. The East Multnomah County park was the last dog racing venue on the West Coast.
Magna, which has held operating rights at the track since 2001, said fierce competition from Native American casinos, the Oregon Lottery and off-track gambling over the Internet were responsible for the decision.
The company will continue to operate horse racing at Portland Meadows, said Scott Daruty, chief U.S. counsel for the corporation, based in suburban Toronto.
"We recently came to the conclusion that, given the competitive environment up there, there's not a long-term future for greyhound racing," he said from California. "Ultimately we don't believe the industry up there can support both greyhound racing and horse racing."
Magna is committed to caring for the 46 dogs now in its nationally recognized greyhound adoption program at Multnomah Greyhound Park, said Patti Lehnert, animal welfare coordinator at the facility. The program places retired racers with families.
"It's business as usual for the adoption kennel," Lehnert said. "We will find homes; we will place them."
Magna's decision appears to have been based solely on economics, said Jodi Hanson, director of the Oregon Racing Commission, which oversees dog and horse racing.
"It's unfortunate, really, because greyhound racing has a long and very storied history in Oregon since 1933," Hanson said. "They made a business decision that they can't run both tracks. We don't control those business decisions."
Hanson said Oregon has been a leader in regulating dog racing and in assuring the welfare of racers. "It's unfortunate for the industry," she said.
However, the president of Grey2k USA, a Massachusetts-based group opposed to greyhound racing, applauded the decision.
"We see this as a tremendous victory," said Carey Theil. "This closes a sad chapter in Oregon's history. The end of this cruel industry is a victory for everyone who cares about animals."
The organization will ask the 2005 Oregon Legislature to ban greyhound racing, as Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Pennsylvania have done in recent years, Theil said.
"There is a trend across the country to prohibit this sport, and we hope the Legislature will follow suit," he said.
The end of racing in Wood Village is a jolt to a dozen farms, most in Clackamas County, that breed greyhounds. Although dogs are routinely shipped to other tracks -- Theil estimated 400 to 500 Oregon dogs are racing out of state -- having a local facility was handy for breeders.
The closure may result in legal wrangling between Magna and the Oregon Greyhound Association, which handles and distributes purses at the track.
Paul Romain, the association's attorney, said the group anticipated there would be racing in the 2005 season, which runs from May to October. The association will determine if there is a way to compel Magna to hold races next year, or if damages are involved, he said.
Multnomah Greyhound Park was Magna's only dog racing operation. The company owns or operates 14 horse racing tracks, including the famed Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Pimlico annually hosts the Preakness Stakes, part of horse racing's Triple Crown.
Multnomah Greyhound Park was the last dog track on the West Coast, a remnant of an industry that once attracted crowds of as many as 30,000 at what is now PGE Park. Magna estimated opening day attendance on May 1, 2004, at 7,000. Dog racing has declined nationwide and has been under attack from groups that believe dogs are mistreated. Some racers are routinely destroyed when their careers end.
The track, at Northeast 223rd Avenue and Glisan Street, has been operating in Wood Village since 1957. Multnomah Greyhound Park reported on-site revenue of $11 million in 2003; the opening-day gambling "handle" in 2004 was $160,000, according to a news release from the park.
What will happen with the greyhound park property is unclear. Owner Art McFadden has been unavailable to comment on his plans. The 31-acre property occupies a key corner of Wood Village's burgeoning town center and is assessed for tax purposes at $5.7 million, according to county records. It is zoned for a mix of commercial and residential use.
Posted by craig at December 28, 2004 06:23 PM