A spokesperson for Santa Anita Consolidated has indicated that there is no intention of moving the Santa Anita Park race track to the $100 million sports complex proposed for the City of Los Angeles by Hollywood Park, Inc.
The California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles has applied for a 2 week fair race meeting, to be held at Santa Anita Park Race Track from September 30 to October 10, 1979.
If Santa Anita Park race track and other tracks cannot successfully compete with the just instituted state lottery that results from the passage of Proposition 37, the horse racing industry may go to Sacramento to seek tax relief, according to Robert Strub, president of the Los Angeles Turf Club.
The City Council is considering collecting taxes on free admissions to the Santa Anita Park race track. It would mean considerably greater income for the City.
The current racing meeting will open Thursday December 27. Sunday racing will be inaugurated for the first time in Arcadia. Track officials are uncertain as to how the energy crisis will affect operations.
Arcadia would lose approximately $472,268 yearly if Santa Anita Park race track were to close down and the 324 acre facility were to be developed with low density residential units. Losses would be partially offset by $190,750 in new property taxes and $278,482 miscellaneous taxes. New city services would account for a 6.18% increase in the city budget.
30 people were injured on opening day at Santa Anita Park when two men became involved in an altercation. One dropped a gun and this was enough to cause a wave of panic which spread through the crowd.
Santa Anita Park will have thoroughbred racing from December 26 through April 22, a season expanded by two weeks. The horse racing bill AB 3383 provided other changes in the sport that will affect Santa Anita Park.
Reconstruction of the main dirt track and secondary turf track at Santa Anita Park in final stages, closing out a project that meant a near rebuilding of the courses at a cost of almost $2 million.
Gifford P. Eastwood died unexpectedly on June 14, 1977. He had been associated with the Los Angeles Turf Club since 1946 and owned Arcadia Stationary on North First.
The newest park in the Arcadia area is the Peck Road Water Conservation Park at Live Oak and Peck Road. There will be fishing in the spreading basin of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. This is a Los Angeles County Regional Park. Supervisor Peter Schabarum was on hand for the opening on June 23, 1975.