Arcadia's officials, harboring "serious concerns" about a massive expansion plan for the Santa Anita Park property, want to meet with owner Frank Stronach. An artist's rendering of the proposal is included.
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.
An outdoor courtyard, a 1220 space parking structure, and numerous shops would be added to Westfield Shoppingtown - Santa Anita under an expansion plan under review by the City Council.
The recent scaling back of the proposed expansion at the Santa Anita Fashion Park means the city may no longer need a bond to help pay for the project.
Santa Anita Park Race Track would like to build a helipad on the hillside on the north edge of its property and has sent a letter to its neighbors to the north asking if they have any objections.
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.
In a strongly worded letter to Canadian mogul Frank Stronach, Arcadia city officials urged Santa Anita Park's owner to work with developer Rick Caruso and finish the proposed upscale Shops at Santa Anita mall project that has been in the works for the last five years. Stronach's MI Developments (MID) voided its contract with Caruso following bankruptcy restructuring at Santa Anita Park. In a further flexing of city muscle, the letter stated that it "looks forward to working with the race track in future projects that require City approval."
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.
Some residents north of Santa Anita Park are organizing to protest plans to build an enclosed 16,000 capacity concert arena in an unused portion of the race track parking lot.