The Arcadia City Council, school board and Chamber of Commerce have settled on a plan to consolidate city and school elections. City Attorney Michael Miller is coming up with legal wording for a measure to be placed on the next school board ballot, April 1987.
If the lottery initiative on the November ballot passes, Santa Anita Park race track could go out of business, dragging down with it reserves that the city of Arcadia obtains from the track's handle, according to Robert Sweeney, executive vice president and general manager of the California Thoroughbred Association.
The city of Arcadia has already received two checks from Santa Anita Park race track, the first payments on its one-third of 1% of the parimutuel take.
On a 4-1 vote, Arcadia City Council gave first reading to an ordinance whereby the City elects to receive a 1/3 of 1% of parimutual wagers at Santa Anita Park Race Track. Adoption means the city will not charge an admission tax.
Cautious concern is the reaction of public officials to a comment by Santa Anita Park race track spokesman, Robert Sweeney, that the track could go out of business if Proposition 37 passes this November. Jim Helms, chairman of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce's Legislative Committee said that his group opposes the Lottery Initiative in part because it could reduce revenue to Santa Anita and the city.
Article outlines arguments for and against the two ballot measures raising the utility tax in order to restore school programs and prevent school closure.
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.
5,133 attended the first day of inter-track wagering at Santa Anita Park where wagering was offered on racing at Del Mar. $1,069,980 was wagered on the simulcast races. Santa Anita Park is one of 10 off-track wagering satellites.
Although owners of horse-size lots in Southeast Arcadia recently lost a battle before the City Council to extend a moratorium on subdivisions in the area, one leader of the group says they will continue their fight on 2 fronts: a lawsuit against the city and the formation of a new citizen's group to put initiative measures on the city ballot to limit development of Arcadia.
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.
Because of negative reactions by neighbors, it is "very doubtful" that Santa Anita Park race track will put a helipad on the north side of its property.
Plaza de las Fiestas, a new multipurpose arena in the northwest quadrant of the infield at the Santa Anita Park, has been created to accommodate Family Faire weekend outings for groups of 25 or more, as well as company picnics, concerts, trade shows, equine shows and other special occasions that can share the day with racing.