YES!!!!

Hinsdale Greyhound closes down

By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter

Union Leader

Hinsdale – After 51 seasons as a harness and dog racing
facility, Hinsdale Greyhound Park announced today it has "ceased operations and
surrendered its pari-mutuel license to state regulators."

 

Track attorney John J. Sullivan told UnionLeader.com a bankruptcy filing
was made in U.S. Bankruptcy Court this afternoon and that track officials met
with officials of the Attorney General's Office this morning to turn in the
track's pari-mutuel license.

 

"It's a sad day for racing in New Hampshire," said 40-year state Racing and
Charitable Gaming Commission Chairman Timothy J. "Ted" Connors. "That's why we
need video slot machines to keep these tracks going."

 

Joseph E. Sullivan III, the track's president and chief executive officer,
said in a statement, "Unfortunately, our operating results have, for some time,
reflected what's happening in the economy and in the gaming business
nationally.

 

"Business was not good, but when gas prices spiked earlier this year,
things went from bad to worse," he said. "People simply have less money to wager
in New Hampshire and nationally. We have seen significant wagering declines from
the Connecticut casinos to Las Vegas. Regrettably, our business has followed
these trends, and our efforts to attract investors or a buyer were in the end
unsuccessful."

 

Joseph Sullivan's statement said the track opened in 1958 as a seasonal
harness horse racing track and added greyhound racing in 1973. Harness racing
was eliminated in 1985 and greyhound racing was cut back to 50 days in 2008 "due
to falling attendance," the statement said.

 

"While all employees will be paid in full, Hinsdale Greyhound Park's
closing means the loss of jobs for 19 full time and 30 part time employees and
the loss of tax revenue" to the state and Town of Hinsdale, the statement
said.

 

Track officials said that in October, after the end of the 2008 racing
season, the track gave all the greyhounds on the premises to several independent
non-profits, including a local group, Fast Friends.

 

Attorney John Sullivan said there were about 100 greyhounds on the
premises.The closing of Hinsdale leaves two operating greyhound track in the
state, at Seabrook and Belmont. The state's lone horse track is at Rockingham
Park in Salem.

 

Rockingham Park officials are pushing a plan to bring 3,000 video slot
machines to its facility, while some lawmakers have been calling for 1,000
machines each at the state's dog tracks.

 

Anti-greyhound racing forces plan to file legislation this year to ban live
greyhound racing in the state. Massachusetts voters banned greyhound racing in a
November referendum.Attorney John Sullivan said Joseph Sullivan has owned the
track since 1984 and was "very much saddened and disappointed" by the need to
close.

 

"It's been a huge part of his life interacting with employees and patrons,"
John Sullivan said. "This is the last thing he wanted to have happen."

 

Attorney Sullivan said that a recently as last week, track officials were
in talks with prospective buyers in the hope of keeping the track
operating.

 

"But at the end of last week, we concluded we didn't have anybody to step
up and put money in to keep us operating," attorney Sullivan said.

 

Connors said he knew the track was struggling but had last heard that track
officials were trying to find buyers. He said he was surprised to be notified of
the closing today.