A bill that could generate an estimated $700,000 yearly in additional race track revenue for Arcadia cleared the State Assembly on Thursday and now heads for the Senate. The bill, AB 2780, seeks to authorize Arcadia and other cities to collect up to 1/3 of 1% of the total amount bet at a race track within their boundaries if the city were willing to forego any tax on admissions or parking. Arcadia has never charged a parking tax at Santa Anita Park. Arcadia city officials are neutral at this point, according to City Manager George Watts.
City Council delayed action on racetrack tax. Tucker Bill provides that a city with race track be given .33 of 1% of the parimutual wagers instead of charging admission tax.
An ordinance will be introduced for first reading by Arcadia City Council whereby the city would receive .33 of 1% of parimutuel wagers at Santa Anita Park race track. If ordinance is approved, city would eliminate admission tax.
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.
Santa Anita Park completed its most successful season ever with $445 million wagered. Total attendance was also an all-time high. The admission tax netted the city $1.1 million. The Park's other contributions to the city are discussed.
In a pre-dawn raid at Santa Anita Park race track, immigration and border patrol agents arrested 173 illegal aliens from 8 countries. As many as 600 other illegals believed to be working at Santa Anita Park escaped arrest by moving to Hollywood Park.
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.
A $3 million building project to increase stable capacity by 150 stalls is underway at Santa Anita Park. Completion, which is planned before the start of the Oak Tree meeting, will bring the total number of stalls to 2,100. The project is discussed in detail.
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.
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.
Horses at Santa Anita Park suffered fatal racing injuries at more than twice the rate of horses competing at California's other 3 major thoroughbred tracks over the last fiscal year, according to statistics. The fatality rate spiked at Santa Anita Park after the switch from a synthetic running surface back to a dirt track in 2010. There were 12 fatalities, or 3.7 per 1,000 starts, at Santa Anita Park in the last fiscal year.
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.
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.
The Anheuser-Busch Inc. brewery will move its Clydesdale horses from the Santa Anita Park race track stables because of a disagreement in the cost of housing them.
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.
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.