Giddyup and go. For at least another year.
The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) is planning on regulating horse racing at Hastings and Fraser Downs in 2011, but the thoroughbred and standardbred seasons won’t overlap.
Officials were studying whether to merge thoroughbred and standardbred racing into one track next year. The much-rumoured consolidation into one track won’t happen in 2011.
“That doesn’t look to be viable at this time,” said GPEB head Derek Sturko. “It doesn’t look to be the best solution.”
Great Canadian Gaming Corp. operates both tracks and has temporarily withdrawn the 2011 harness-racing schedule at Fraser Downs (see “Casinos trump B.C. horse cents” – issue 1087; August 24-30). Talks continue on a proposal to split an eight-month harness-racing season with Alberta.
“It doesn’t seem to be getting a good response from Alberta,” he said.
But Sturko added that regardless of Alberta’s decision, B.C.’s 2011 plan will be ready by mid-October.
He said horse racing is struggling across the continent amid changing demographics and the B.C. Lottery Corp. has intervened to market the two Lower Mainland tracks. Things won’t get easier for Hastings. It faces competition from Gateway’s Villa Casino to the east and will battle for the gambling dollar with the new Edgewater when it opens in 2013 in a complex west of BC Place Stadium.
“This industry has got some difficult financial circumstances,” Sturko said. “When we began the year we thought we’d have $50 million available for use for all purposes, running the track, purses and so forth – we’re down to about $44 million. That’s the nature of the decline in the first six months of this year.”
Sports travel moves
The Ludus Tours agenda for 2010 can be summarized like this: bobsledding, bulls, beer and vuvuzela.
Former University of Arkansas runners and college sweethearts Adam and Jessica Dailey formed the Austin, Texas-based sports travel company after they didn’t qualify for Sydney 2000. They decided to run away and join the circus and take sports fans along for the ride. Part of their focus is to help athletes’ families find places to stay and navigate host cities.
“The company is in a real state of change right now, really looking at expanding,” said event manager Victoria Whyte. “We’re brainstorming about what new events we want to do.”
The Daileys are moving to San Diego, but plan to keep a Vancouver presence. They might add the Calgary Stampede to their stable of annual trip offerings. The focus has shifted from Vancouver 2010 to London 2012. Ian Hamilton of Prime Strategies opened the Ludus office there in June and is planning a scouting trip to Sochi in October. But first Ludus is hosting tours to the bicentennial of Oktoberfest in Munich. South Africa’s FIFA World Cup and Spain’s Running of the Bulls were also on the agenda earlier this year. Next year includes the Super Bowl and the Rugby World Cup.
Off target
They shot and missed the mark at August’s Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit in Toronto.
Hockey Canada, the International Ice Hockey Federation, the National Hockey League and the International Olympic Committee missed a chance to share it with the world.
Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were employed, but there was no live webcast or broadcast.
Next time they hold a World Hockey Summit, perhaps the real-time proceedings will be shared with the world.
Tuned out
And then there was none, as in Sportsnet None.
The launch of the new Rogers national sports channel August 14 was celebrated by few and cursed by many, because it’s hardly available on cable systems that aren’t owned by Rogers. Delivering Sportsnet One to all Canadians will be Keith Pelley’s priority when he begins his new job as president of Rogers Media on September 7.
The former president of the CTV Rogers Olympic consortium is adept at problem solving. If he can teach TSN and Sportsnet folks to sing from the same songbook, perhaps he can convince Shaw, Telus and Bell to pick up the new service well before the Vancouver Canucks open their 40th season.
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