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- Can you look Lava Man in the eye and not fight to keep HP and his legacy alive for all time?
- You Can Help! Print and distribute this flyer to Inglewood residents.
Hollywood Park is more than just a piece of land
with an oval track and pink flamingos in a pond.
To think that Hollywood Park would be no more, to allow the Park to disappear under asphalt and buildings, to forever lose the magic and history, is truly one of the saddest thoughts imaginable.
If you care, speak up!
Matter of Time by Berlin
So quickly time will come and time will go
It runs on by
It steals your hopes and dreams and one last chance
You never know
I can see it now
I can feel its scolding hand
Saying come on now you’ve got to run
You wonder can you stop the hands of time
Erase your fate
He’s laughing, knowing that he’s got control
Just watch and wait
I can see it now
I can hear the whispered voice
Telling me now you’ve got no time to waste
It’s a matter of time
It’s just a matter of time
And you’ve got to see
You have the answer, you have the strength
There’s no denying it’s in your hands
It’s in your hands
It’s a matter of time…
Living, breathing touching feeling
Hoping dreaming still deceiving
Searching finding losing crying
Know the truth you’re dying
Oh, you’re dying
It’s a matter of time
Remember who you are and what you have
The time is yours
Your flame is burning down so guard it well
It may go out
I can see it now
I can see the end of time
Holding the answers to all your fears
It’s a matter of time
BLACK WEDNESDAY FOR HOLLYWOOD PARK July 8, 2009:
Inglewood City Council approved all zoning changes, the Hollywood Park Specific Plan, and the Development Agreement. Hollywood Park Land Company has been given everything that they asked for and now have total control of the property. It is a very sad outcome indeed.
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF INGLEWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD PARK LAND COMPANY LLC: http://www.cityofinglewood.org/agendastaffreports/07-08-09/o-5.pdf
QUESTIONS ABOUT BAY MEADOWS LAND COMPANY? STOCKBRIDGE REAL ESTATE FUNDS? GOLD BRIDGE CAPITAL? PLATINUM ADVISORS? WETHERLY CAPITAL GROUP?
READ ARTICLES AND VISIT WEB SITES - OH, THE TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE
5/23/09 LA TIMES: Subpoenas Issued in Pension Fund Corruption Investigation: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pensions23-2009may23,0,7404437.story
5/9/09 SACRAMENTO BEE: California Lobbyist Helped Developer Get NY Pension Money: http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/1847026.html?mi_rss=State%20Politics and WOTNEWS: This link gives related articles at the bottom of the article http://wotnews.com/like/california_lobbyist_helped_developer_get_ny_pension_money/2098699/
5/1/09 NY TIMES: Cuomo Issues 100 Subpoenas in Pension Fund Inquiry: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/nyregion/02pension.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=PENSION%20FUNDS%20CUOMO&st=cse
GOLD BRIDGE CAPITAL: CLOSED DEALS http://goldbridgecapital.org/closed_deals
PLATINUM ADVISORS: Another Darius Anderson connection: http://www.platinumadvisors.com/sacramento.aspx?n=662625
STOCKBRIDGE REAL ESTATE FUNDS: www.sbfund.com Website conveniently unavailable at this time.
BAY MEADOWS LAND COMPANY: www.bmlc.com Website conveniently unavailable at this time.
Web site created for redevelopment proposal: http://www.hollywoodparktomorrow.com/
To read my comments and updates on Inglewood City Council meetings, please go to Current State of Affairs page.
NEARLY 1,200 OF YOU SIGNED THE PETITION - THANK YOU ALL!
COME ON, HORSE RACING INDUSTRY PEOPLE!!
UNITE AND FIGHT for Hollywood Park. It is critical for our industry.
Please read and consider new ideas given on the Brainstorming Barn page.
SIGN THE PETITION!! Go to http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-hollywood-park.html and SPEAK UP!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MESSAGES ON THE PETITION
Please visit www.savehollywoodpark.com for more information and great tips on the “How You Can Help” page.
7/24/09 APPAREL NEWS: Retail Part of Mixed-Use Project Planned at Hollywood Park: http://www.apparelnews.net/news/retailing/072409-Retail-Part-of-Mixed-Use-Project-Planned-at-Hollywood-Park Construction will not begin until late 2010 and will take 12 to 18 months to complete.
7/21/09 FRESNO BEE: Race Against Time for State Tracks? http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/1550899.html Amid a terrible economy, California’s $5 billion horse-racing industry is on the brink of losing more tracks. A once recession-proof business has been hit by a double-digit drop in wagering at a time when prime track property is coveted by developers.
7/17/09 DRF: Hollywood to Trim 4 Days From Fall Meet: http://www.drf.com/news/article/105603.html Hollywood Park will request four fewer days of racing during its upcoming fall meeting than originally allotted by the California Horse Racing Board, track president Jack Liebau said Friday.
7/9/09 BLOODHORSE: Hollywood Park Project OK’d in Inglewood: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51591/hollywood-park-project-okd-in-inglewood
7/9/09 PAULICK REPORT: Hollywood Park: Thanks for the Memories… And the Tote Bag: http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/hollywood-park-thanks-for-the-memoriesand-the-tote-bag/
7/9/09 LA Business Journal: Hollywood Park Conversion Approved: http://www.labusinessjournal.com/article.asp?aID=0241189.9712383.1803750.9443594.722689.732&aID2=138741
7/9/09 AP Wire: Deal That Would End Hollywood Park Races Approved: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7iBytbVuNJPfPoibQJr_Z-2Uv9QD99ANI9G0
7/9/09 KABC Channel 7: Horse Racing to End at Hollywood Park?: Video: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=6906800
7/8/09 NBC LA NEWS: Hollywood Park Redevelopment Happening: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Hollywood-Park-Redevelopment-Happening.html
6/22/09 CA Real Estate Journal: Sun May Set On Hollywood Park: http://www.carealestatejournal.com/newswire/index.cfm?sid=&tkn=&eid=902461&evid=1 ”Wilson Meany Sullivan specializes in developing complex mixed-use projects at infill sites in Los Angeles and the Bay Area that have financial, entitlement and legal challenges, Meany said. It expects its projects to take several years and is prepared for delays caused by lawsuits from no-growth groups.”
6/26/09 BLOODHORSE: Hollywood Gets Full Alliance Accreditation: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51405/hollywood-gets-full-alliance-accreditation Hollywood Park, whose future is in serious doubt after 2009, has received full accreditation from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance.
6/24/09 BLOODHORSE: Kentucky Rally: Revolution Starts Tonight: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51379/kentucky-rally-revolution-starts-tonight Former Kentucky governor Brereton Jones said, “…the revolution starts tonight. We are going to make this happen. It may take a little longer than we’d like, but we’re sticking together, and we’re going to get this done.”
6/23/09 BLOODHORSE: You Make the Call - Expanded Gaming at Kentucky Racetracks: http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/you-make-the-call/archive/2009/06/23/expanded-gaming-at-kentucky-racetracks.aspx “Do you agree with the Kentucky Senate’s decision? What impact will the decision have on the Kentucky horse racing industry, as well as the industry as a whole? We invite you to participate in our poll and weigh in on the subject…”
6/23/09 BLOODHORSE: Does the KY Legislature Really Understand Racing?: http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/at-large-tom-lamarra/archive/2009/06/23/does-the-ky-legislature-really-understand-racing.aspx “…not one legislator questioned the mistakes. Not one legislator appeared to even know they were mistakes. Yet, votes were taken on public policy based on this information.”
6/18/09 BLOODHORSE: KEEP Rally Draws Nearly 1,000: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51287/keep-rally-draws-nearly-1000 Governor Steve Beshear: “People have told me not to support this bill, because it won’t win, and it will hurt my political future. But folks, I did it anyway, because this is not about politics. This is not about Steve Beshear’s future; this is about the future of the commonwealth of Kentucky and its signature industry…” and VIEW THOROUGHBRED TIMES VIDEO: http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2009/June/17/Thousand-turn-out-to-support-Kentucky-horse-industry.aspx
6/16/09 SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER: This Is Progress? http://www.examiner.com/x-11780-SF-Bay-Area-Moderate-Republican-Examiner~y2009m6d16-This-is-progress “The (Bay Meadows) track was paying hefty property taxes and more to the city and county and over 300 workers were feeding their families, living in the community and being a part of society. Now through sheer greed and stupidity it is all gone. And will this be the poster child for stopping such actions in the future? Will people finally realize enough is enough; that building on every last inch of space is not the answer? Has more tax money (if it ever arrives) made up for all of this?”
6/1/09 Nation’s Top Horsemen Rail Against Demolition of California’s Prized Hollywood Park Racetrack: http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/nations-top-horsemen-rail-against-demolition-of-californias-prized-hollywood-park-racetrack-102257.php “The loss of Hollywood Park is going to make California racing much, much weaker. Thoroughbred owners will probably leave to go to New York. Hollywood Park’s closure will leave a gigantic hole in racing in the state - this is tantamount to having the NFL leave,” said owner and breeder Jerry Moss. Trainer John Shirreffs offered, ” I don’t think there is anybody in Sacramento that realizes the scope of horse racing, and the people that it employs…”
5/31/09 SACRAMENTO BEE: Hollywood Park Race Track Nears Its Last Call: http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1905235.html “Horse racing in California generates $4 billion in annual betting. Yet officials say they can’t compete with out-of-state tracks that attract glamour events by augmenting purses with millions of dollars in revenues from slot machines and other Nevada-style casino games.”
5/30/09 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE: $2 Billion Renovation of Hollywood Park May Add Up to More Racing at Santa Anita and Pomona: http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_12486189 ”Whatever happens, it’s going to hurt our business a lot,” said trainer Mike Mitchell, who has stabled horses at Hollywood Park since the 1980s. “Fortunately it’s not a done deal.” “There are plans being made,” said Hollywood Park president Jack Liebau. “As for if and when Hollywood Park closes, it’s sort of unknown at this time.”
5/29/09 THOROUGHBRED TIMES: Hollywood Park Decision Continued to Next Week: http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2009/May/29/Hollywood-Park-decision-continued-to-next-week.aspx “In today’s world, nothing is certain,” CHRB Chairman John Harris said. “The real estate market is so weak that they are better off putting any development plans in the freezer for a few years. Or better yet, maybe they can sell it to someone who wants to operate it as a racetrack…”
5/28/09 KTLA NEWS SEGMENT: Developers to Give Hollywood Park a Million-Dollar Makeover: http://www.ktla.com/video/?clipId=3810790&topVideoCatNo=79422&c=&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv
5/28/09 LA DAILY NEWS: Inglewood to Consider Voting to Redevelop Hollywood Park Racetrack: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_12468945 “Meany said he knows there are racing fans who don’t want to see the end of the track, but he said the track is no longer viable as a business.”
5/28/09 THOROUGHBRED TIMES: Fate of Hollywood Park May Be Decided Tonight: http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2009/May/28/Fate-of-Hollywood-Park-may-be-decided-tonight.aspx “Thoroughbred Times correspondent Larry Stewart will provide coverage of the City Council’s vote on Friday.”
5/28/09 LA TIMES: Hollywood Park Racetrack Faces Bleak Odds of Survival: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hollypark28-2009may28,0,3367660.story “There’s a part of me that says I’d love to find out in the morning that the state Legislature has found a way to give slot machines to racetracks as a response to the state budget crises, and that Hollywood Park would call and say they would like to stay”, Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor said.
5/24/09 LA TIMES: Zenyatta Transends Gender: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-zenyatta24-2009may24,0,7688526.column ” Hollywood Park, which obviously knew what was coming because it spent about $2.75 on marketing this race - had to pay out $147,295.14 in what is called a minus show pool.”
5/23/09 CTBA/OC REGISTER: Decision on Hollywood Park Thursday: http://www.ctba.com/091news/calbreds0195d.htm “It will take about a year to put all the plans in place,” said Gerard McCallum, aspokesman for the project, “and 10 years to complete everything. We have told the California Horse Racing Board that we will give six months notice before the track closes.”
5/21/09 LA WAVE: Asked & Answered: Hollywood Park Tomorrow: http://www.wavenewspapers.com/news/local/west-edition/45827287.html
5/15/09 BLOODHORSE ARTICLE: Hollywood Goes to Four-Day Weeks: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50805/hollywood-goes-to-four-day-weeks “Live racing will be conducted Thursdays through Sundays with the exception of a special program MemoriaI Day week on Monday, May 25.”
5/15/09 BLOODHORSE ARTICLE: HOLLYWOOD PARK PROJECT GETS KEY APPROVAL: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50795/hollywood-park-project-gets-key-approval “Final action on a redevelopment plan for Hollywood Park could come as soon as May 28…”
5/12/09 Comment on Inglewood City Council meeting: http://commissioner-trracki.blogspot.com/2009/05/where-are-decision-makers.html “Where is the leadership of horse racing? Are they concerned about the future of Hollywood Park?”
05/02/2009 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NEWS “Horse racing is saddled with problems” http://www.standupca.org/news/derby-shocker/
CAL-RACING 4/27/09 http://www.calracing.com/drf_news.php?f=103305 “TOC president Drew Couto said the issue of fewer races per day could be discussed soon…” and 4/28/09 http://www.calracing.com/drf_news.php?f=103335 “Track officials will huddle this week to discuss a course of action for the remainder of the Hollywood meet…”
4/22/09 BLOODHORSE ARTICLE: “LAST YEAR FOR HOLLYWOOD? NOT SO FAST” http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50334/last-year-for-hollywood-not-so-fast “Jerry Moss, who stables his horses at Hollywood, says the only way to stop the track’s eventual demolition is for someone to purchase it or have the state step in to protect it…”
4/18/09 Long-time turf writer Ron Parker’s new blog: http://www.reines-de-course.com/inquiry.htm
CALRACING NEWS DRF 3/20/09: Hollywood Park Will Run Fall Meet: http://toc.calracing.com/drf_news.php?f=102346
BLOODHORSE 3/19/09 - Hollywood Park to Run Through 2009: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/49756/hollywood-park-to-race-through-2009 “Chairman John Harris said that the racing industry needs to turn out in force to lobby the Inglewood City Council and other elected officials against the development plan…”
THOROUGHBRED TIMES 3/19/09 - Hollywood to Conduct Fall Meet: http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2009/March/19/Hollywood-to-conduct-fall-meet.aspx
Los Angeles Times 3/10/2009: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hollywoodpark11-2009mar11,0,4602628.story - Model of retail district intended to replace Hollywood Park. After you read this article, read the article below from the San Francisco Examiner. Draw your own conclusions about BMLC.
UPDATE: A whisper of hope for continuation of racing in 2010! Support Hollywood Park in 2009!! Read latest article concerning upcoming 2009 meets: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/49574/hollywood-cuts-15-million-in-stakes
READ AND WEEP and BE FOREWARNED: San Francisco Examiner article on Bay Meadows Racetrack: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Debris-pile-replaces-historic-Bay-Meadows-racetrack-40759177.html and http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/09/01/focus5.html
I t would truly be a tremendous loss of history.
Anybody involved in horse racing understands that History and Hollywood Park are in jeopardy. Let our voices be heard!
Hollywood Park needs to be preserved. There is a great deal of history involved with this park.
What also needs to be considered is the fact that the location allows for easy access to all persons who wish to see live horse racing without having to go long distances. Santa Anita and Del Mar are nice places too, but they require long vehicle trips or, as in the case with Del Mar, use of the train. Both options can be great inconveniences. Please leave Hollywood Park open so that those of us who enjoy live racing can have the opportunity of experiencing it.
Look at the great horses that have raced at Hollywood Park as well as the greatest jockeys. How can you even think of closing this wonderful venue. Citation and the last Triple Crown Winner Affirmed raced there, as well as Round Table, Swaps, Native Diver, Lava Man, Seattle Slew, Vigors, Megahertz, Cocoa Beach, Wait A While, Panty Raid, and my own personal favorite, Miesque. And these are just a very few of the great, great horses to have raced and made history there. Landaluce and Native Diver are buried there, and they do not deserve to be disturbed. And the great Exceller who beat two Triple Crown Winners in the same race, and who is the only horse to have such an accomplishment. If you tear this track down, Shame on You!!
Please think about what you will be doing, and don’t do it!!!
We need a little less conversation, a little more ACTION, please!
I am sorry, but I can not give you ACTION, I do not have the resourses to buy the track and save it!! I thought you wanted comments and see you do not so I will throw away the rest of the cards you gave me to hand out and will no longer try to get people to go to this site. You should have said in the first place you were only interested in getting money to save the place and I would not have bothered in the first place.
I thought you wanted comments…I do not have the resources to buy the park and therefore give you action. Since you are not interested in our comments I will throw away the rest of the cards you gave me and will no longer let people know about this web site. Why don’t you go to the Arab people who buy everything else maybe they can help you out!!
To No More Name/Anonymous - Thank you for your comments. You are obviously as frustrated as the rest of us who are in the same boat and don’t have money. But there are so many things we CAN do by writing and/or calling local and state government offices, the city of Inglewood, the Thoroughbred racing associations, etc. to support the Park and voice our strong objection to the re-development plan. Creating this website is the avenue I chose to offer a forum for ideas, suggestions, and comments. The comments signed “Save Hollywood Park” were not made by me but submitted by a blogger. Please don’t give up and throw away the cards! We are just getting started!
HOLLYWOOD PARK IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RACE TRACK IN THE COUNTRY, WITH LAKES, FLOWERS,WILD BIRDS, EUROPEAN WALKING RING AND WELL MAINTAINED BUILDINGS , RESTAURANTS AND GROUNDS.
THE RACING SURFACES HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL FOR THE HORSES AND THE BARN AREAS ARE CLEAN AND MODERN.
THE TRACK IS EASILY ACCESSED FROM ALL FREEWAYS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
A MORE AGGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT COULD EASILY IMPROVE THE ATTENDANCE THROUGH AGRESSIVE PERSONAL TRAINING IN CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING THE WONDERFUL HORSES AND EVENTS AT THE TRACK.
We need to buy the track from the developers. Prices are down and like most developers will not be able to start this project for years if ever. A website to collect money for shares would be useful. I’ll take a piece.
A developer bought the El Toro Marine Base and ran out of money. There sits the acreage for the largest all sports facility in the world, golf, football, baseball, horseracing, soccer, you name it. All freeway easy for a song.
I met you at the Inglewood Planning Commision meeting. I got a copy of a special meeting of the City Council/Redevelopment Agency and wondered if you are familiar with a couple of items on the agenda:
CSR-1 Closed session - Confidential - Attorney/Client Privileged; Potential Litigation, Hollywood Park Project (Parties: Inglewood Redevelopment Agency/City Council and Hollywood Park Land Company, LLC; Negotiator for the City/Agency: Timothy E. Wanamaker).
What potential litigation might there be between the City Council and Hollywood Park Land Co.?
Also, there was a “Staff report recommending adoption of a resolution amending the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget to receive funds from the Hollywood Park Land Company, LLC for the provision of professional services to cover costs for processing and review of the proposed mixed-use development of the Hollywood Park Race Track, and approval of amendments to agreements therewith.
Recommendation:
1) Adopt resolution:
2) Approve Amendment No. 2 to Agreement No. 08-34 (Advance Funds Agreement) by adding $155,006 to the contract bringing the total amount received to $880,965.10; and
3) Approve Amendment No. 2 to Agreement No. 08-51 (PBS&J, Inc.) to extend the contract for one year and add $155,006 to the contract bringing the total amount of the contract to $263,931.
What exactly does this mean? That they have received more than 1 million dollars for “processing and review” of the proposed development?
They are also requesting that a public hearing date be set for April 22 or 23 for the Draft Environmental Impact Report and Draft Specific Plan but, so far, I have not seen it listed on the website.
Please feel free to contact me. There are some people working to try and stop the destruction of Hollywood Park but they may not be working fast enough.
The last paragraph of Government Code 54956.9 (b) (1) holds the key. The City Council fears litigation exposure based upon advice of legal counsel related to the HP project. They will meet in a closed door session, not open to the public, to discuss their legal options in RE HP litigation exposure. It would appear that the HP development project is about to get litigious.
As far as the funds in the fiscal budget, it does appear that Hollywood Park Land Company is providing funds for professional services for more than $1 Million. It costs money to prepare an 810-page EIR…
The City Council has called a special closed session meeting for Friday, April 17, 2PM. One agenda item - CSR-1 Closed session - Confidential - Attorney/Client Privileged; Potential Litigation, Hollywood Park Project (Parties: Inglewood Redevelopment Agency/City Council and Hollywood Park Land Company, LLC; Negotiator for the City/Agency: Timothy E. Wanamaker).
This must be serious if they are meeting within 3 days of the meeting on Tuesday and in the same week.
Someone is going to sue somebody. Who knows?
Although a long way away I watch HP on TVG . The loss of any track is a loss of part of the great sport of racing. Your delema with the slot issue is one of the main aspects of revenue for track and horsemen. In Ontario , Can. the gov’t controls the gaming, ie. Indians have casinos, tracks, and private est. The cut is different for each as some are run by tribes, others by private & Ont. Lottery & Gaming controll others outright but oversee the rest. With the race tracks the track owner receives 10% of gross, horsemen 10% of gross, town 5% of gross and the rest to the gov”t. If your gov”t took control of track slots they would be real income as opposed to promised income, and the track and horsemen benifit, thus keeping tracks open. Erik Quarter Horse racing sector..
The planned destruction of this great park and facility makes me sick to my stomach. Why can’t the racing community come together on this? I used to own horses; never race horses, but I lived in Southern California.
Southern California horse-racing is the backbone of the state. In this economy, yes things are slow. What makes the city of Inglewood so certain that this is a good thing? Developers always say, “it’s a good thing to build. We have all this money that we are going to spend in your city.”
Southwest Airlines bought Piedmont (which had been a hub for the Dayton, Ohio area). Southwest promised that they would stay. Within a year, Southwest Airlines packed up and took everything away. There was no more hub and the millions of dollars that had been spent on the airport; well the city is still trying to recoup. DHL had big plans for the same plans for Dayton International Airport, Ohio. They were going to make their company more productive than UPS. The city again poured millions into the development project. DHL went bankrupt.
Can you see where these promises are headed? Developers will say and do everything to get what they want. Once they do, they either build or they don’t. If they do build, the area that had once been charming and historic and gracious is replaced by another parking lot, sterile mall, too-expensive living quarters, and if it fails, the city of Inglewood will have to basically eat the whole thing.
Is this really what everyone wants? On paper maybe it looks great, but after the developers have built, or not, they will be gone; looking for fresher pastures elsewhere. The promised money to the city is not going to be nearly what was claimed.
Sincerely,
Laura T. Brooks
Laura,
I WAS literally sick to my stomach by the end of last Wednesday’s meeting. As far as I am concerned, the city of Inglewood sold their soul to the devil. To sit through that meeting and witness the approvals for all zoning changes, the Hollywood Park Specific Plan, and the Development Agreement - giving the owners of Hollywood Park EVERYTHING they asked - sent a chill down my spine.
To listen to Mr. Meany at the end of the meeting telling the city, “Thank you for giving us everything we wanted. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you,” made me sit cringing, as if I had been slapped across my face.
But my anger lies with the horse racing industry leaders most of all. The lack of support is something that I can’t understand. We have less than a month to find someone, an attorney, who can file legal action to halt this travesty of justice.
It is a very sad time for Hollywood Park and for the horse racing industry for sure.
It is very sad to see that Hollywood Park is closing. I don’t know if it is due to the economy. I heard new condominiums, homes, movie theaters, shops etc. are coming. That might boost revenues for the city. That’s why may be they are approving it. But I hope they at least put a simulcasting location to keep the horse racing fans coming.
Well whatever these so called “Owners” are doing to make Hollywood Park look BAD, they are doing a Great Job. I was there July 16th and just about ALL the Employees there have a “Don’t Care about anything” attitude now. They know they are on the Titanic. The “Track of the Lakes and Flowers” now has a Mosquito Cess Pool on the Far Turn that looks like a run off from the L.A. River instead of a Lake, and the Track Railings for the Grass Course seem to be missing down the starting shoot. If you DO find a Human being manning a Betting window they say “I’m not open for anything just go two sections down” .That’s where the Computers are. That’s Progress. That’s where Hollywood Park is going too. Not open for anything. Just Imagine what Ingle-HOOD will be with more Houses and Malls. I’m sure there are just MILLIONS of People waiting to go shopping there in THAT Neighborhood.