Northlands to eliminate horse racing

[rosemount289]

Northlands Park wants to eliminate the horse racing track in order to build another outdoor Stadium to host concerts, festivals' and other large outdoor events. Costs estimate are around 85 to 150 million dollars.

My own opinion?..........Why waste another (85 to 150 million dollars) when we already have Commonwealth Stadium for large events and other facilities to hosts the heritage festivals and other summer events.

Also, this is only for outdoor events (usage days.........at most 4 months per year).

To me this is a waste of money for an outfit that's suppose to be a non-profit organization and to promote agriculture activities.

Your comments, thoughts and opinions........???

Click to read more...

 

[Lrrr]

I like the horse races. I feel like this could be successful if it was closer to downtown, similar to Fort Calgary.

I'd vote no if I had the choice.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Maybe horse racing is losing money, but at least it's something unique and interesting. Better than yet another concert and festival venue in a city that has many places like that. People call us deadmonton, well now there's one less thing to do, so it's not really helping, is it.

 

[Jepprey]

Aren't they just going to relocate it? Think they say they're trying to re open one by the year 2018. They just want to use this old space for their new projects.

I don't blame them changing the way the company is moving towards as they are losing their main tenant in the Oilers.

 

[rosemount289]

Are they losing...........???

Maybe horse racing is losing money, but at least it's something unique and interesting. Better than yet another concert and festival venue in a city that has many places like that. People call us deadmonton, well now there's one less thing to do, so it's not really helping, is it.

Are they really losing money?............I like Northlands to open their books and see the spinoffs derived from horse racing.........for example.......the revenue generated from program sales, concession sales and also food sale from Colors restaurant because the restaurant is full when live racing is on in the summer time.

How about the gaming revenue from the Casino because of horse racing.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Are they really losing money?............I like Northlands to open their books and see the spinoffs derived from horse racing.........for example.......the revenue generated from program sales, concession sales and also food sale from Colors restaurant because the restaurant is full when live racing is on in the summer time.

How about the gaming revenue from the Casino because of horse racing.

I know, whenever I go there, there's tons of people enjoying the experience. It's not like it's a graveyard, especially during the spring/summer/fall months.

 

[rosemount289]

My main point is...........???

What I am afraid of is the City of Edmonton has to cough up the money to build this Stadium for outdoor concerts...........???

Why?............don't we have a large facility (Commonwealth Stadium) to hold such events.........why spend money to build another Stadium for one or two large events a year (especially in these tough economic times).

As an Edmonton taxpayer..........I vote NO.

 

[Sniper99]

What I am afraid of is the City of Edmonton has to cough up the money to build this Stadium for outdoor concerts...........???

Why?............don't we have a large facility (Commonwealth Stadium) to hold such events.........why spend money to build another Stadium for one or two large events a year (especially in these tough economic times).

As an Edmonton taxpayer..........I vote NO.

I vote No as well. Its stupid, its a nice race track. I honestly dont gamble on horse racing. I've been parking at Northlands for years before I go to Oiler games, I'll stop in and have a drink or two there before I walk over to Rexall. drink prices are cheaper there than Rexall surprising. I'm not paying $16-20 for parking.

 

[Jumptheshark]

it has beed dying for a few years ow

 

[Fourier]

I worked in the bank at Northlands while I was going to school. At that time, and it is probably the same today, the house kept 15% of handle. Unlike other industries the price of their primary product, a bet on the race, has not gone up with time, but their expenses sure have. In fact you could argue that it has gone down with the advent of one dollar combination bets. Looking at the handles from the 2015 it seems that betting is way down from my time. The average daily handle for the thoroughbred season in 2015 was $286K. That would have been a quiet day for harness races in the 80's.

Attendance when I go these days looks like a fraction of what it was back then so it's not like they are making up the revenue through gate or food sales. This is a dying business.

It's also important to note that the $85-150M cost mentioned above is not just for a remodeling of where the track was. That is actually a small component of the project. The big chunk is for a repurposing of Rexall Place and an expansion of their convention facilities. It would also include an expansion of the smaller venue in the convention area to about 5000 seats for smaller concerts and things like rodeos. This is definitely a project that I find interesting. I'd want to here more but as someone who pays property taxes in Edmonton my initial reaction is quite positive

 

[SerbianEagle]

I wonder if FC Edmonton will play there, and also if they might try for MLS? If the stadium was between 20-30k, it'd be ideal.

 

[joestevens29]

I wonder if FC Edmonton will play there, and also if they might try for MLS? If the stadium was between 20-30k, it'd be ideal.

Pretty sure they want to build something that will hold 90-140k. There was talk months ago about them building this big stadium with hopes of getting soccer maybe.

Paula Simmons had an article that wasn't bad. Why do we want another city owned stadium to compete with Commonwealth? That and the goal is to steal festivals that are already housed at places that taxpayers paid for so really are we further ahead?

Northlands also wants 35mil to renovate hall D into a 5k arena, but Northlands still owes 48mil from the last set of renos and the expo center loses 7mil a year.

http://edmontonjournal.com/entertai...proposal-is-a-fantasy-not-a-plan-for-edmonton

 

[joestevens29]

I worked in the bank at Northlands while I was going to school. At that time, and it is probably the same today, the house kept 15% of handle. Unlike other industries the price of their primary product, a bet on the race, has not gone up with time, but their expenses sure have. In fact you could argue that it has gone down with the advent of one dollar combination bets. Looking at the handles from the 2015 it seems that betting is way down from my time. The average daily handle for the thoroughbred season in 2015 was $286K. That would have been a quiet day for harness races in the 80's.

Attendance when I go these days looks like a fraction of what it was back then so it's not like they are making up the revenue through gate or food sales. This is a dying business.

It's also important to note that the $85-150M cost mentioned above is not just for a remodeling of where the track was. That is actually a small component of the project. The big chunk is for a repurposing of Rexall Place and an expansion of their convention facilities. It would also include an expansion of the smaller venue in the convention area to about 5000 seats for smaller concerts and things like rodeos. This is definitely a project that I find interesting. I'd want to here more but as someone who pays property taxes in Edmonton my initial reaction is quite positive

The only one that makes sense is the renovation of Rexall. Simple because a two rink arena cost 40mil and we could get 6 for 85mil. The rest is just competition for other venues that are supported by the City.

 

[shoop]

Are they really losing money?............I like Northlands to open their books and see the spinoffs derived from horse racing.........for example.......the revenue generated from program sales, concession sales and also food sale from Colors restaurant because the restaurant is full when live racing is on in the summer time.

How about the gaming revenue from the Casino because of horse racing.

Unless the AGLC has changed their regulations 85% of any slot/VLT revenue goes to charities. (or there are different rules for the 'casino' at Northlands). I used to work as an accountant at one of the casinos in town.

The horse racing industry has suffered in Alberta for a long time. Has Calgary closed down Stampede Park for horse racing yet? There were plans to build a new track out by some big outlet mall they had planned.

I went to the track a lot back in the 90s. Little by little people left the industry in Alberta because they couldn't make a go of it.

It will be sad if the race track goes, but there is absolutely no way it should be re-purposed as a concert venue.

 

[rboomercat90]

I haven't seen the sense in most of this project from a tax payers point of view since we started hearing rumors of it last fall. My main beef originally was building a large concert venue after we spent all that money renovating Commonwealth Stadium and ripping out the natural grass that made it unique. Paula Simmons brings up even more reasons to nix it now. I think it's pretty telling that even festival directors want no part of this.

Remodel the Coliseum as that part of the proposal does make sense and is beneficial to Edmonton. It might even make sense to remodel Hall D in the Expo Center as smaller concert venue can fill a niche in the market. No to the rest though.

Northlands needs to accept that it lost the war with Katz as the city's main entertainment provider. Losing that war, as sad or unfair to them as they think it was, means downsizing in a major way. Even more so with horse racing dying off too. It doesn't mean throwing away even more money on facilities that aren't wanted or even needed. This is supposedly a not for profit operation and not a corporation, it shouldn't be that big of a deal for them to scale things back.

 

[CornKicker]

Unless the AGLC has changed their regulations 85% of any slot/VLT revenue goes to charities. (or there are different rules for the 'casino' at Northlands). I used to work as an accountant at one of the casinos in town.

The horse racing industry has suffered in Alberta for a long time. Has Calgary closed down Stampede Park for horse racing yet? There were plans to build a new track out by some big outlet mall they had planned.

I went to the track a lot back in the 90s. Little by little people left the industry in Alberta because they couldn't make a go of it.

It will be sad if the race track goes, but there is absolutely no way it should be re-purposed as a concert venue.

stampede park closed horse racing a few years ago and the new century down track is open and its outside the city closer to Airdrie.

 

[LTIR]

Rexall place project I can live with ... 7 ice sheets would atleast be used fully in a hockey crazy city ...
Not sure about wasting millions on Northlands revamp though...

 

[joestevens29]

How is the Expo center losing 7mil a year? That place is jammed all the time I thought. Is this common with Expo centers?

Then again they had parking staff scamming them so who knows what else is going on.

 

[rboomercat90]

stampede park closed horse racing a few years ago and the new century down track is open and its outside the city closer to Airdrie.

I've never been to this track. Any idea how it's doing? I'd have to think that with it being outside the city would seriously hamper its attendance as many racing fans are older and wouldn't be able to get to it. That's why I'd question the wisdom of building a race track out of town here.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

How is the Expo center losing 7mil a year? That place is jammed all the time I thought. Is this common with Expo centers?

Then again they had parking staff scamming them so who knows what else is going on.

They have this giant building that is used a bunch but i think with their ridiculous labor union they pay to much for in labor.

 

[Arpeggio]

Pretty sure they want to build something that will hold 90-140k. There was talk months ago about them building this big stadium with hopes of getting soccer maybe.

Paula Simmons had an article that wasn't bad. Why do we want another city owned stadium to compete with Commonwealth? That and the goal is to steal festivals that are already housed at places that taxpayers paid for so really are we further ahead?

Northlands also wants 35mil to renovate hall D into a 5k arena, but Northlands still owes 48mil from the last set of renos and the expo center loses 7mil a year.

http://edmontonjournal.com/entertai...proposal-is-a-fantasy-not-a-plan-for-edmonton

Hold on, they want to build a stadium bigger than Commonwealth? Why would anyone go for that?

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Hold on, they want to build a stadium bigger than Commonwealth? Why would anyone go for that?

They mention Sonic Boom and Kdays... Do they not realize that they moved Sonic Boom for more then just the site itself?

 

[joestevens29]

Hold on, they want to build a stadium bigger than Commonwealth? Why would anyone go for that?

Back when they first talked about it, it was an almost field of dreams idea to me. They wanted potential for big concerts, MLS, current and potential new festivals etc...

Even the Lacrosse idea I kinda laughed at as I'm pretty sure Katz has that idea already.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Why can we simply not get rid of Northlands as an organization and turn everything over to the city? This whole plan smacks of Northlands trying to justify its own existence than a good use of taxpayers money.

And does it serously cost $40 mil to build two ice rinks? If so, I guess $85 mil for six is a good deal. But that sounds like a lot of money for ice.

 

[oXo Cube]

Northlands is just making one last desperate attempt to remain relevant in the Edmonton entertainment scene.

It won't work. They lost.