Excellent news from the good folks at the successful Grey2KUSA:
Hinsdale Greyhound Park in New Hampshire announced it is ending year-round racing. This means that as of Labor Day, all dog tracks in the state will race only seasonally, for just a few weeks each year. There will no more winter racing in New Hampshire!
Additionally, in June, lawmakers voted to end a taxpayer subsidy the tracks had been receiving for drug testing. Had it not been repealed, this ridiculous corporate welfare plan would have amounted to a $2 million subsidy for the tracks over the next four years. Earlier this year a broad coalition, including GREY2K USA and lawmakers from both parties, filed legislation to end this wasteful program.
This is the second time in two years that GREY2K USA has helped end a taxpayer subsidy to New Hampshire dog tracks. In 2006, we worked with lawmakers to eliminate an $325,000 annual subsidy the racetracks were receiving from the state’s Educational Trust Fund.
On August 7, local Kansas voters rejected a proposal to approve slot machines at Wichita Greyhound Park. Within moments of the news, track owner Phil Ruffin announced the shutdown of his struggling facility. WGP will wind down activities within three months time.
Two days later, on August 9, the general manager of Florida’s Tampa Greyhound Track also announced an end to live racing. Citing low attendance, track owners will cease live racing operations on August 18.
With these closures, 36 operational tracks remain in 13 states.
