Is Bay Meadows really kaput?
By John Horgan
Friday, March 23rd, 2007 at 3:19 pm in Uncategorized.
From the tone of most of the news reports, you might be led to believe that Bay Meadows, the historic horse racing facility in San Mateo, is dead, finished, kaput. The California Horse Racing Board’s 4-2 decision not to permit Bay Meadows to retain its dirt track for another two years seems to be a certain death sentence. But is it? Maybe not. The idea of Bay Meadows simply sitting there idle for several years (before it is shut down as scheduled) makes no economic sense at all. You have to believe that, even as the announcement of Bay Meadows’ imminent demise was being made, negotiations to get a re-hearing on the track surface issue were under way. There simply is too much money (and tax dollars) at stake. Behind the scenes, local politicians are almost certainly scrambling to find some sort of compromise.
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March 23rd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Oh, please no, Bay Meadows gone? The parking lot used to serve as a venue of carnal joy on Friday nights, when Coyote Point was unavailable. Bay Meadows is also a place that featured Serra High School Fund Raisers–the most memorable being the year (19??) in which Mickey Rooney appeared a bit over the top (tip?) with a spectacular show. Bay Meadows horses need no introduction–if one wanted to waste an afternoon and loose a bundle, X marked the spot. I agree with Horgan (for one of the few times ever) that compromise, and a track rising from the ashes will be the eventual outcome. “HERE COMES SEABISCUIT, ON THE RAIL, A LENGTH BEHIND, DRAWING EVEN, MOVING AHEAD, AND WINNNNNNNNNNNING BY TWO LENGTHS!!!!!!!!”
No, Bay Meadows will be back……….
April 10th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Geoff, as you well know, Bay Meadows has been dying on the vine for the past several decades. How many times have you and I trundled our weary bodies down to the track to wager a few bucks on the nags in the last 25 years? Not that often, if ever. No one likes to see the place shut down. Lots of people will be out of work. The romance of the race track is almost certainly a thing of the past. Not pleasant to contemplate. But grim reality nonetheless. Heck, the San Mateo County Times building over near Highway 101, a fixture since 1964, is up for sale too. Things change.