On opening day of the winter - spring season at Santa Anita Park race track, fans will find renovations including additional dining areas, outdoor lighting, new restrooms, a new restaurant, SIRONA, on the Terrace level and palm trees near the entrance.
Santa Anita Park race track requested that the City Council delay acting on legislation that would govern its nighttime operations. Public hearings will be held so that the track's stance can be explained to neighboring homeowners.
The City Council gave a first reading to an ordinance that would allow the FrontRunner restaurant at Santa Anita Park race track to be open year round instead of just during the race season.
The City Council reviews changes that would allow Santa Anita Park race track to operate the Frontrunner Restaurant and big screen TV year around and to allow for satellite TV wagering until 1:30 a.m. seven days a week.
Representatives of the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that Santa Anita Park race track has been named to their list of the country's most endangered historic places. Efforts mount to preserve Santa Anita's architectural integrity.
Santa Anita Park's parent company, Magna Entertainment Corp., faces the threat of bankruptcy amid mounting losses and a $600 million debt burden. The current racing season and status are unaffected. Frank Stronach of Magna Entertainment Corp. said he was looking for partners for the track.
Santa Anita Park Race Track owner Frank Stronach has met with city officials about Arcadia's concerns with the track expansion plan and future sessions will be held. The concerns centered around plans to build new barns on the north side of the property, the internal connections between the track and Westfield Shopping mall traffic and people, and architectural compatibility with the track.
Since Magna Entertainment Corp., the owner of Santa Anita Park, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The race track will be auctioned off in September. That land is zoned for horse racing. Jason Kruckeberg, Arcadia's Development Services Director, said it will remain as a race track.
The 25-year-old City Council chambers will undergo its first major renovation, a project that will relocate meetings for the next few months to the Arcadia Public Library. Renovations will be completed in February.
With the winter-spring racing season less than three weeks old, Santa Anita Park has laid off parimutuel and other workers, and track owner Frank Stonach is being publically chastised for his leadership style.
Since he purchased Santa Anita Park in 1998, Frank Stronach has added five tracks to his stable and grouped them under a spin off company called Magna Entertainment Corp.