WGP re-birth?
A group of business and racing industry interests is trying to bring racing back to Wichita.
A group of business and racing industry interests is trying to bring racing back to Wichita. The effort comes four years after the Wichita Greyhound Park (WGP) ran its last official pari-mutuel race.
WGP owner Phil Ruffin closed the track soon after voters in that county barely defeated a proposal to allow slot machines at the track. A new group, called Wichita Wins, is trying to build support for putting the slot machine issue back on a ballot.
In the initial vote, the question failed by a mere 244 votes, with many believing that a poorly worded question was misinterpreted by voters. The question could have been interpreted as allowing slots in many other businesses--such as convenience stores and restaurants--in addition to the racetrack.
A meeting of backers last Thursday in Wichita drew about 50 people. Tracy Wildey, vice president of the Kansas Greyhound Association, and Wichita Wins hopes to gather 5,000 signatures on a petition to show state lawmakers that support exists for a new county vote, according to an AP article that was released last Friday.
Wildey points out that reopening WGP (which first opened in September 1989) would create 500 jobs and lead to $100 million in new investments to renovate and expand the facility--not to mention giving the greyhound breeding industry in Kansas (home to the Greyhound Hall Of Fame, the National Greyhound Association and hundreds of breeders) an economic boost.
RSS 2.0 Feed
