Retama Park

Last updated
Retama Park
Location Selma, Texas
Owned byRetama Development Corp.
Operated by Penn Entertainment
Date openedApril 7, 1995
Race type Quarter Horse
Course typeDirt and turf(turf not currently in use)
Official website

Retama Park is a class 1 pari-mutuel horse racetrack located in Selma, Texas, United States, that opened in 1995. Live quarter horse races meet July to September. Simulcast racing is shown year-round. The track is owned by the Retama Development Corporation (a quasi-governmental entity formed by the City of Selma) and managed by Penn Entertainment.

Contents

History

The Retama Development Corporation was formed in the early 1990s to issue bonds to finance the track's construction and to act on behalf of Selma to oversee the racetrack's construction and operations. [1] Retama Park held it first race on April 7, 1995, 1 and 1/2 years behind schedule.

Retama park last held a Thoroughbred meet in 2019 and in 2021 held a 20 day quarter horse meet. In 2023 they planned to have a 23 day QH meet starting June 29 but were forced to cancel due to a critical power outage, resulting in the park’s cancellation of evening horse races, as well as races scheduled for the following day. On June 5, Amy Cook of the Texas Racing Commission sent Retama’s management a notice of unsafe conditions and a list of matters to address before they resumed live racing. On July 18, Cook sent the following letter, allowing live racing to resume. “We are confident that the Penn Entertainment, the racetrack association managing Retama Park, is committed to compliance with the Texas Racing Act, and the safety of the betting public and racing industry participants.” Retama ended up completing a 23 day QH meet from July 19 to September 2. [2]

Retama scheduled a 23 day quarter horse meet going from June 27 to August 17 for 2024. [3]

Financial problems

Retama Park has never turned a profit. The RDC filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in March 1996. Call Now, Inc., a publicly-traded long-distance phone company bought over 90% of the bonds issued for construction of the track and allowed the track to emerge from bankruptcy and continue operation. Call Now failed in 2011, and the track was in danger of foreclosure from Call Now's creditors but was granted a forbearance instead. In 2013, Pinnacle Entertainment purchased a 75.5% equity stake in Retama Partners, Ltd., the owner of the racing license for Retama Park, for $22.8 million, averting another bankruptcy filing for the RDC. [1] Pinnacle also took over operations of the track under a management agreement with the RDC. [4]

In 2018, Penn National Gaming (now Penn Entertainment) acquired Pinnacle and assumed management of the track. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selma, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Selma is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the San Antonio metropolitan statistical area. Its population was 10,952 at the 2020 census, up from 5,540 at the 2010 census. Selma was settled by German and Polish immigrants in the mid 1800s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwood Raceway</span>

Greenwood Raceway was a horse racing facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races including both the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap as well as hosting the Breeders' Cup in 1986, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2023. In 1984, Santa Anita was the site of equestrian events at the 1984 Olympics. Since 2011, the Stronach Group are the current owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Park Racetrack</span> Former thoroughbred racetrack in Inglewood, California

Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, the original Hollywood Park Casino was added to the racetrack complex. Horse racing and training were shut down in December 2013 though the casino operations continued until a new state of the art casino building, the new Hollywood Park Casino, opened in October 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pimlico Race Course</span> American thoroughbred horse racetrack

Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London. The racetrack is nicknamed "Old Hilltop" after a small rise in the infield that became a favorite gathering place for thoroughbred trainers and race enthusiasts. It is currently owned by the Stronach Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinnacle Entertainment</span> Former American gaming and hospitality company

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. was an American gambling and hospitality company. It was acquired by Penn National Gaming in 2018. At the time of acquisition, it operated sixteen casino properties, located in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and a horse track in Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lone Star Park</span> Horse racing track in Texas, U.S.

Lone Star Park is a horse racing track and entertainment destination located 1⁄2 mile north of Interstate 30 on Belt Line Road in Grand Prairie, Texas. Lone Star Park has two live racing seasons every year; the spring Thoroughbred season generally runs from early April through mid-July, and the Fall Meeting of Champions generally runs from early September through mid-November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury Park</span> Horse racing facility in Minnesota

Canterbury Park, is a horse racing track in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. Canterbury Park Holding Corporation hosts parimutuel wagering on live thoroughbred and quarter horse racing at its facilities in Shakopee and parimutuel wagering on races held at out-of-state racetracks that are simulcast to the racetrack. In addition, the Canterbury Park Card Casino operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is also regulated by the Minnesota Racing Commission. Casino games include blackjack, baccarat, Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em, and poker. Canterbury Park also derives revenue from related services and activities, such as concessions, parking, admissions, and programs, and from other entertainment events held at the racetrack. Furthermore, Canterbury Park is pursuing a strategy to enhance shareholder value by developing approximately 140 acres of underutilized land surrounding the racetrack in a project known as Canterbury Commons. The company is pursuing several mixed-use development opportunities for the underutilized land, directly and through joint ventures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn Entertainment</span> American gambling company

Penn Entertainment, Inc., formerly Penn National Gaming, is an American entertainment company and operator of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gambling. It operates 43 properties in 20 states, under brands including Hollywood Casino, Ameristar, and Boomtown. It also offers sports betting in 15 jurisdictions and online casino gaming in 5, under brands such as ESPN BET and theScore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Mar Fairgrounds</span> Event venue in Del Mar, California, United States

The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a 370-acre (1.5 km2) event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with founding member Bing Crosby providing leadership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stronach Group</span> North American entertainment and real estate company

Stronach Group, doing business as 1/ST, is an entertainment and real estate company in North America with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Pompano Beach</span> Racing track and casino in Florida

Harrah's Pompano Beach, formerly Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park and Pompano Park, was a standardbred harness racing track and casino in Pompano Beach, Florida. It was billed as "The Winter Home of Harness Racing," as its tropical South Florida location makes it an ideal alternative for horsemen, when most of the racetracks to the north are subject to racing in snow, ice and bitter cold conditions. The track operated its live racing meet for about ten months out of every year, with a short break during the last half of June through the second week in August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center</span> Racetrack and Casino in Cincinnati, Ohio

Belterra Park, formerly known as River Downs, is a racino located in Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, just outside the southeast limits of Cincinnati. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Boyd Gaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino</span> Racino in Sunland Park, New Mexico, US

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is a racino located in Sunland Park, New Mexico, a suburb in southern New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Casino at The Meadows</span>

The Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, formerly The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, originally (1963) just The Meadows horse-racing track, is a Standardbred harness-racing track and slot-machine casino which is located in North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania, United States, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. After 44 years as a racetrack, the casino was added in 2007. The real estate has been owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties since 2016, with the business operations owned by Penn Entertainment since 2018, including a long term lease agreement to Gaming and Leisure Properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connaught Park Racetrack</span> Defunct horse racing track

Connaught Park, later known as Hippodrome d'Aylmer, was a thoroughbred, steeplechase and harness racing track, later having a casino and live betting parlor, that operated from 1913 until 2009. The track was located in the Aylmer, Quebec district of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, near Ottawa, Ontario. It had two tracks: a one-mile dirt track used until 1954 for thoroughbred racing, and a half-mile dirt track, used for harness racing. Racing ended in 2008 after its owner declared bankruptcy. The site was sold in 2009 for a housing development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosecroft Raceway</span> Harness racing track in Fort Washington, Maryland, US

Rosecroft Raceway, nicknamed the "Raceway by the Beltway" for being close to Interstate 495, is a harness racing track in Fort Washington, Maryland. It first opened in 1949 and was owned by William E. Miller, a horse trainer and breeder. Rosecroft quickly became Prince George's County's political and social center, drawing thousands of people there each racing day. In the early 1950s, average attendance was more than 7,000 per day. After Miller died in 1954, his son John owned Rosecroft until his death in 1969. Rosecroft hosted memorial stake races annually for both William and John until 1995. Following the death of John Miller, Earle Brown controlled operations until he moved to a different position in 1980; William E. Miller II took over following Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe Indianapolis</span> Racino in Shelbyville, Indiana

Horseshoe Indianapolis is a casino with a horse racing track in Shelbyville, Indiana owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. It is the closest casino to Indianapolis. It offers gaming, restaurants, a gift shop and entertainment. The 233,000-square-foot (21,600 m2) facility has over 1,704 slot machines and live table games. It was built at a cost of more than $250 million.

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course, is a thoroughbred racino in Austintown, Ohio. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment.

Horse racing in the United States dates back to 1665, which saw the establishment of the Newmarket course in Salisbury, New York, a section of what is now known as the Hempstead Plains of Long Island, New York. This first racing meet in North America was supervised by New York's colonial governor, Richard Nicolls. The area is now occupied by the present Nassau County, New York, region of Greater Westbury and East Garden City.

References

  1. 1 2 Danner, Patrick. "Little-known Miami businessman emerges as key figure in Retama woes". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "live racing resumes at retama park" (PDF).
  3. ↑ "2024 Retama Park Calendar" (PDF).
  4. ↑ Bailey, W. Scott (January 30, 2013). "Pinnacle Entertainment buys majority interest in Retama Park". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  5. ↑ "Meeting minutes" (PDF). Texas Racing Commission. August 14, 2018. pp. 44–51. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  6. ↑ Prince, Todd (October 15, 2018). "Penn National Gaming completes $2.8B acquisition of Pinnacle". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2018-10-16.

29°35′06″N98°18′54″W / 29.585°N 98.315°W / 29.585; -98.315


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.