By Ben Massam
Tim Ritvo, COO of The Stronach Group, has met with the owners of the Raynham Park greyhound racetrack in Raynham, Massachusetts, as well as state officials, to explore the possibility of converting the oval into a live Thoroughbred racing venue in the next calendar year. Speaking on a Thursday afternoon phone call, Ritvo confirmed reports that first appeared in The Blood-Horse earlier this week.
“It's really, really early,” Ritvo said. “We've always been interested in the Massachusetts market. We think it's a strong sports market and there is some good parimutuel handle there. There was a time where we would have liked to lease Suffolk Downs–we thought that made the most sense–but the ownership has been sold and they're not interested at this time. So, we went and looked at alternative sites, and George Carney has a dog track in Raynham that has a decent grandstand, still, and we'd obviously have to do something with the racetrack.”
Ritvo explained that The Stronach Group was exploring options for a 30-day race meet on a “bull-ring” racetrack. While racing at Massachusetts' traditional venue, Suffolk Downs, is expected to cease after a six-day race meet in 2017, the Raynham Park plan could provide a means to keep racing alive while capitalizing on a strong simulcast market.
“We're trying to lay out some plans about what it would look like,” Ritvo said. “It would be anywhere from a five-eighths to a seven-eighths of a mile track. We're just exploring the options. It's very early…The right business plan would have to be in place. We would need the right legislation as far as simulcasting and ADWs. If we're going to invest heavily in that area and put money in, there has to be a way to get it out.”
Ritvo added that a successful first meet at Raynham could open the door to a further expansion of live racing in New England in years to come. The Stronach Group, as owners of Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, has been credited as a major player in the regrowth of racing in the state of Maryland in recent years.
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