After a 13-hour meeting, Arcadia City Council voted unanimously to approve the outdoor mall to be built on the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot, a development known as The Shops at Santa Anita. Opponents may push a referendum and possibly file lawsuits to block the project.
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.
Writer Richard P. McKee, a past president of Californians Aware, an open-government advocacy group, thinks Arcadia City Council closed session meetings about the "southerly parking area of the Santa Anita Park race track property" are suspect.
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.
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 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.
Westfield Group has nominated Santa Anita Park to the National Register of Historic Places, claiming development plans by Caruso Affiliated constitute a threat to the racetrack. Magna Entertainment, owner of the race track, would have to agree to the track being placed on the register. However, placement on the list would not restrict development on the site.
Arcadia City Council voted unanimously to give the final approval on Rick Caruso's The Shops at Santa Anita mall. The City Council also approved an expansion project for the Westfield mall with one condition.
School uniforms, shoes, socks, jackets, school supplies and treats were given out to about 1000 local children from low-income families in the Foothill Unity Center's Fifth Annual Back-to-School Distribution at Santa Anita Park race track.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously approved a proposal to allow Santa Anita Park to broadcast televised horse races and other events indoors until 1:30 AM.
Developer Caruso Affiliated has submitted a revised plan and environmental impact report (EIR) for review for the proposed development on the parking lot of the Santa Anita Park race track, called The Shops at Santa Anita.
Westfield America may feel threatened by Caruso Affiliated's proposed outdoor mall and residential complex on the parking lot of the Santa Anita Park race track.
Local activist group Arcadia First was misinformed about plans to put 240 slot-style gambling machines known as "Horse Wizards" at The Shops at Santa Anita, the proposed Caruso mall development. George Haines, General Manager of Santa Anita Park race track, and Arcadia city officials say this is incorrect. There are no slot machines planned for the new mall.
Council member Gino Roncelli is unable to vote on race track decisions due to a conflict of interest. Some rival candidates for council question whether he should run for re-election.
The Arcadia City Council has approved a design review process for the upcoming addition to the Santa Anita Park race track. The procedure adopted requires review by the Planning Commission and the City Council of all preliminary site plans, floor plans, exterior architectural improvements, and new construction.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to support legislation establishing February 19 as "Remembrance Day" for those Japanese who were sent to internment camps during World War II. Locally, an internment camp was set up at Santa Anita Park.
Drainage problems with the Cushion Track cause the cancellation of races. Santa Anita Park race track executives weigh options including shutting down and moving races to Hollywood Park, or installing a completely new surface.
Judge James C. Chalfant stands by his July decision that the environmental impact report (EIR) that Arcadia officials relied upon in approving the mall was faulty in 11 areas and that it would have to be revised before the Caruso mall project, proposed for the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot, known as the Shops at Santa Anita, can move forward.