Santa Anita Park race track gets into the holiday spirit. The park’s inaugural Winterfest, which launched over the weekend, continues through December 23. The park has transformed into a winter wonderland, giving people the chance to ice skate beneath towering pine trees and dance in snowfall amid 70-degree temperatures. Other activities include holiday movies, a giant snow globe photo booth, a petting zoo, food, shopping, an obstacle course and other rides.
Santa Anita Park race track attendance is on the upswing. It drew 40,810 on Friday, its biggest opening day turnout since 2011. On-track attendance was up 33% over last year, partly because of the free infield admission program, which drew more than 10,000 people. Total wagering, including bets placed from all over the country, rose nearly 30% to more than $17 million. On-site betting was more than $3.4 million. The City of Arcadia gets 1/3 of 1% of all on-site wagering.
Pasadena Pops Orchestra debuts its first summer season at the Los Angeles County Arboretum today with Marvin Hamlisch, composer and conductor. The CalPhil lost out to the Pasadena Pops in a bid to stay at the Arboretum and CalPhil signed up with neighboring Santa Anita Park instead.
Arcadia ice skater Mirai Nagasu is going to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Friends and family send her off with a party at Arcadia Presbyterian Church. She will skate in the singles competition starting February 23, 2010.
Santa Anita Park will reduce its work force by merging departments. More than 100 full-time and seasonal positions will be affected--including some layoffs and some full-time positions becoming part-time positions, said Greg Avioli, CEO and President of Stronach Entertainment, the track's parent company. The shift to off-track betting and account wagering has brought less revenue to the race track.
More high winds expected. Clean-up efforts remain ongoing across San Gabriel Valley. With Santa Ana winds expected to batter Southern California for several days this week, residents and work crews scrambled yesterday to clear downed trees, replace utility poles and restore power after the historic storm that hit Thursday, December 1, 2011. A small army of Southern California Edison (SCE) workers gathered in the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot--some waiting for orders, others moving the dozens of replacement transformers. SCE will need to bring power back to the 78,000 customers still without electricity as of yesterday afternoon.
Santa Anita Park's current Pro-Ride synthetic track surface will be replaced with a dirt track after the Oak Tree meet ends October 31 and before Santa Anita Park's winter-spring season starts December 26, 2010. Frank Stronach said it will cost about $6 million to install.
Santa Anita Park. Track to boost race day rules. Owner, in a historic step following the death of a 22nd horse at the winter meet, announces medication ban, limits on riding crop use.
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) delayed a decision on conflicting requests for 2011 racing dates from Santa Anita Park and Oak Tree Racing Association. The CHRB urged Santa Anita Park, Hollywood Park and Oak Tree to get together to come up with a plan that works for the good of the industry.
MI Developments, the new owners of Santa Anita Park, defended canceling Oak Tree Racing Association's lease for fall racing, saying the contract did not account for the true economic cost of running the race track, according to Dennis Mills, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Canada-based MI Developments. On the other hand, Oak Tree's director and executive vice president Sherwood Chillingworth said the race track was getting the better deal, as Santa Anita Park got 75% of Oak Tree's profits. Chillingworth is talking about running Oak Tree at Hollywood Park or Del Mar.
The television cable channel HBO filmed a pilot called "Luck" at Santa Anita Park last spring, starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte. The writer and producer is David Milch, who also wrote for the "Deadwood" television series. Santa Anita Park officials hope the pilot is picked up as a series. Its exposure on HBO could mean more revenue for the race track.
Things looking up as Santa Anita Park meet ends. 3 percent increase shown in both handle and attendance for its 78th winter meet. Photo of race horse Get Happy Mister and jockey Tyler Baze. By Art Wilson.
Miracles of the butterflies. Adopt a Butterfly-a pop-up butterfly conservatory at Westfield Santa Anita mall took place. In photos Ezekial Olmos and Gabrielle Rosales.
Battle of the Bands. Two major orchestras change venues for summer programs. CalPhil will be performing at Santa Anita Park's infield, while Pasadena Pops Orchestra will be performing at the Los Angeles County Arboretum.
Santa Anita Park race track rejects request from state regulator California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to cancel its last six days of racing this season, in the wake of two more horse deaths over weekend.
Santa Anita Park's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Verge, 44, a horse owner and entrepreneur, has big plans for the race track. He wants to expand its fan base, partly by reaching out to the local Asian community and to locals who grew up attending the track during the sport's heyday. While Santa Anita Park President George Haines is still running day-to-day operations, Verge will focus on bringing in more people, including celebrities, like actor Vince Vaughn.
The Oak Tree Racing Association lost its lease to operate its fall horse racing meet at Santa Anita Park. Oak Tree has operated a fall meet at the track since 1969. Due to bankruptcy restructuring, Frank Stronach's company MI Developments took control of Santa Anita Park from Stronach's Magna Entertainment Corp (MEC). MI Developments wants to negotiate a new lease agreement with Oak Tree for fall racing.
Arcadia Chamber of Commerce launches new networking campaign. Pop-Up mixers are held monthly at Arcadia bars whose owners are Chamber members. The first one was at Monkey Bar at Westfield Santa Anita mall, January 9. Pop-Up mixers are not advertised in advance, instead information is posted through social media within days of the event. RSVPs are not necessary.