phoenix trotting park deaths

Such a neat place. Their . (6 Oct 2008). But Phoenix Trotting Park proved to be the exception. I'll admit I'm a little envious that you get to enjoy a view of Phoenix Trotting Park. These drawings were left by nomadic . Thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. This article originally appeared in the March 28, 2014 issue of Harness Racing Update Newsletter (PDF). The roof of the grandstand was supported by a series of main roof girders. 7 Leous, Dick. Stars of the sport like Billy Haughton and Joe O'Brien and the reigning national dash champion Bob Farrington came to the desert for the opening night action, but the honor of driving first winner went to Gerry Kazmaier. They were quick to point out that the track was built SEP 27, 2017 - FOX10 PHOENIX - Abandoned Phoenix Horse Trotting Park demolished in Goodyear Opened in 1965, it closed less than 2 years later. Also I am contemplating the idea of opening a web shop that sells some Trotting Park logo merchandise. [31] Keystone proposed a plan for a mixed-use development comprising office, commercial, retail, light-industrial and entertainment uses[32]. The Phoenix Trotting Park was expertly designed and opened in 1965. Arizona Corporation Commission. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. This was one of the top 10 tracks in America, with multiple speed records set and broken there. Phoenix Trotting Park This building was once home to thousands of pigeons. Originally budgeted at $3 million, it ended up costing about $10 million. Jimmy Dunnigan knew racing and racetracks and his expertise attracted investors who wanted to see harness racing gain a foothold in Phoenix. The Phoenix Trotting Park opened in 1965 for horse racing, but it was only open for two seasons before it was closed and abandoned. They allowed the building to achieve unusually long cantilevers of 39 feet for the seat girders and 32 feet for the roof girders. Well meet with the family after everything has been taken down and cleaned up, then determine where were going to go with it from there, Smith said. Winds light and variable. The park was used in 2000 for the filming of the movie ". How many ghost towns still exist in Arizona? I guess you could sit back and wait for it to die down. Big thanks to Scott Elder for sharing this video with us. 23 Goodyear Trotting Park Receives Interest. AIA Press. It is upsetting that this once-majestic grandstand was not saved. And glad to hear you got a chance to see Phoenix Trotting Park. Check it out on the videos page. 2. In October 2012, a 17-year old man was injured when he fell 20 feet while exploring at the abandoned Trotting Park with friends. 32 Tapia, Monica. I have been to the Houston area a few times and once drove from San Antonio to Los Angeles, stopping to spend the night in Bisbee, AZ. The half-mile track was a success right from the start, and flourished under the management of James J. Dunnigan, who served as the president for 25 years. The Phoenix Trotting Park was abandoned almost as soon as it was built in the mid-1960s. One of the proprietors and visionaries behind the park was James Dunnigan, the renowned New York horse racing financier. Im going to get some good shots, good memories, Machuca said. One pundit described the hulking shell of the track as "a giant tan Jetsonian mausoleum built in the middle of a desert to host harness racing, without any apparent regard for how flagrantly dumb and doomed it would be to do something like that.". It's one of the best pocketable cameras on the market. 98. Goodyear residents and leaders hoped for an entertainment destination where the iconic Phoenix Trotting Park once stood, but are more likely to see light industrial at the site off Interstate 10 in the West Valley. The Trotting Park has been listed for sale! The Phoenix Gazette, G3. Though it has weathered the past 52 years, the grandstand's reinforced concrete construction is no match for the heavy equipment that appeared on site earlier this week. The point is, once this building went down, the entire population of birds left that structure to make the houses and other buildings of the west valley their new homes. The completed grandstand facility had the following levels: Basement - Loading dock, Receiving Area, Storage Rooms, Switch Room, and a Freight Elevator And They're OffBuilders Race to Beat Deadline at Old Trot Park. The Notre Dame Scholastic, Vol. 224-Acre Mixed-Use Hub Proposed for Goodyear. ), biggest white elephant in Maricopa County, but when I explored about 21 years ago they had motion sensors and the police were there in 10 minutes, had to use old trick to divert them elsewhere. Learn about the 1998 movie and the famous explosion scene. It's sad to hear they're demolishing it, but I guess it was only a matter of time. I will definitely keep posting. Woolworth family and owner of Clearview Stables in Maine) and Delvin Miller, a harness racing Hall of Famer who was involved with the Roosevelt Raceway in Long Island[16]. 5 Commencement Exercises (PDF). 33 Scanlon, Tom. 19 Hoffman, Dean A. MAY 17, 2017 - WEST VALLEY VIEW - Demolition Zone Ahead. Theyre all fairly interesting, thats for sure! Tell us about them in the comments! 14 Arizona Harness Racing, Inc. (7 Jun 1961). Abandoned Phoenix Horse Trotting Park demolished in Goodyear. He enjoyed politics and remained a member of the Senate and the Democratic party until his retirement in 1944. The Trotting Park's wall panels, roof slabs, columns, beams, and girders were all constructed of precast concrete, which was poured on-site. Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. He did get permission before flying there. So sad they have scheduled it for demolition; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable. A lot of research has been done to ensure the accuracy and validity of information shown on this website. Built in 1964, the Phoenix Trotting Park was actually located in Goodyear, Arizona. It was also featured on the cover of Harness Horse magazine and Hoof Beats magazine. You cannot visit it as there is nothing left to see of this troubled mid-century horse racing facility. The University of Notre Dame. Find Phoenix Trotting Park stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. According to the 1983 book "A Guide to the Architecture of Metro Phoenix" by the Arizona Institute of Architects, Phoenix Trotting Park was designed by Impressa Eugenio Grassetto of Padua, Italy. 67, Issue 14. thanks from all avid explorers!! Someone had left cans of spray paint sitting out. June 17, 2018 - With the Phoenix Trotting Park now demolished, the land has been listed again with Colliers, this time for $24 million. Haven't made it in yet! The hot weather of the desert caused events to be uncomfortable to attendees. This is pretty much the worst outcome that every fan of the Trotting Park did not want to see happen. Mary Beck, 26, of Goodyear knows people who have trespassed on the property. Hi Jim, I too have enjoyed your photography work, you have a great eye and the information you provide on the subject matter. MAY 21, 2017 - KTAR NEWS - Phoenix Trotting Park, an iconic horse-racing track, will be demolished Their dog ambled about a bank of dwindling sand, trotting, sniffing on all sides. Thanks for sending it in. Future plans include availability for private parties and, yes, maybe even weddings. The Phoenix Trotting Park the massive and long-abandoned horse-racing track along Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear will be demolished by the end of the year. Have added a whole new section of almost 50 images including vintage advertisements and rare construction photos to the Photo Gallery page. Sale of W.V. Stay tuned for a big photo update coming soon! Thats his secondary preference, though. The sale was expected to close by the end of 2016, which did not happen according to public records. The pre-cast pieces have a compressive strength of 6000-psi, approximately three times the normal strength of concrete used in more conventional buildings. There was a lot of fencing around the place, but most of it was collapsed and not really an obstacle. Racing continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s while many renovations and improvements kept the track up to modern standards. September 6, 2021 - I have gone through the site and fixed a number of broken and dead links. John J. Dunnigan was instrumental in passing the "Pari-mutuel Revenue Law" of 1940,[1] which effectively allowed people to bet on horse races in New York State. I have worked hard to make this website a great resource for all things related to the former Phoenix Trotting Park. There is nothing imminent other than the fact that its being taken down.. October 20, 2017 - It's hard to believe that after more than half a century, this amazing structure has been reduced to a pile of debris in just a week's time. Founded as a silver mining town in 1863, this is considered a living ghost town since the area still holds a population of 352. Must have made it more expensive to build, find employees and run the endeavour. Phoenix Trotting Park was seen as the western version of Florida's popular Pompano Park, bringing pari-mutuel action on trotters and pacers to new territories. The building had so many levels, it seemed to go on forever. Please vote in our online survey and tell us which items you would like to see in a web store. View the listing here: Phoenix Trotting Park by Colliers International (link no longer valid). Between the unbearable desert heat, issues with flash flooding, and remote location, it was only 20 minutes outside of Phoenix - there were no major roads connecting the city to its suburbs at the time, which was an eventually death knell for the racetrack. (Nov 1964). Their plans call for a mixed-use development of the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and entertainment in three phases. While people were no longer permitted to enter the dilapidated building before its destruction, some photographers still managed . The asking price for the 194-acre parcel of land is a whopping $16,500,000 USD! Plant your own desert garden with a starter cactus from this indoor-outdoor gift shop. Hello and thanks for stopping by! The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s. It's so massive that it was impossible to know where the other person was. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. And at his side, on the big brilliant bay horse, the smallish, black-bearded Welshman. (27 Sep 2010). Costing around $10 million (or $96,132,258 million today), the facility was state of the art for its time, and an exuberant crowd of 12,000 fans filled the stands on opening day. Select from premium Phoenix Trotting Park of the highest quality. After an awkward encounter with a police officer in the morning (details at the end of. Unfortunately for James J., he had borrowed heavily against the Buffalo Raceway in order to build the Phoenix Trotting Park, which closed indefinitely in 1966. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel Colorado River and the debate over water rights begins . (19 Jan 1934). The unnamed victim suffered a head injury after falling down an empty elevator shaft, and was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital for treatment, according to a West Valley View article. - End of first season 1966 Season Early 1966 (?) 17 Phoenix Trots Out A $9 Million Track With Spiral Curves. (27 Mar 1994). You'll receive your first newsletter soon! (Dec 2010). I don't know what happened, but my best guess is that something happened with the financing or with securing all of the necessary rights to the land. FOX 10 Phoenix. I just noticed it being demolished, so it was like, lets go look at the building. Commercial Property Executive. Advertisements At the time of this writing, there are approximately 300 known and recorded ghost towns in Arizona. [35] Roles Inn of America company in the late 1990s. Phoenix Trotting Park was a far less successful venture. - Hoof Beats Magazine NEW, Mar 8, 1965 - Racing Beneath the Peaks - Sports Illustrated, Mar 10, 1965 - Clearview Stable Sweeps Weekend - Harness Horse Magazine NEW, Dec 14, 1966 - Phoenix Trotting Park Suspends Racing Indefinitely - Harness Horse Magazine, Sep 24, 1969 - Ong Hing v. Arizona Harness Raceway, Inc. - CourtListener.com, Apr 14, 1983 - Arizona Rites Held for James Dunnigan; Was Founder of Buffalo Raceway - The Sun and the Erie County Independent, Nov 15, 1991 - AutoSwap USA - Arizona Business Gazette, Dec 9, 1997 - Film Crew to Aid Birds - The Arizona Republic, Sep 21, 2006 - Goodyear's Horse Track Becomes 'White Elephant' - West Valley View, Dec 2010 - Phoenix Trotting Park History - Three Rivers Historical Society Newsletter, Oct 10, 2011 - Goodyear Trotting Park Receives Interest - West Valley View, Oct 22, 2012 - Man Injured in Fall at Goodyear Trotting Park - West Valley View, Mar 28, 2014 - The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park - Harness Racing Update, Jun 18, 2014 - Readers' Picks of Biggest West Valley Eyesores - The Arizona Republic, Jan 12, 2016 - Huge Trotting Park in Goodyear Marks 50 Years Standing Empty - The Arizona Republic, Jan 14, 2016 - For $16.5 Million, You Could Own the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear - The Arizona Republic, May 17, 2017 - Demolition Zone Ahead - West Valley View, May 17, 2017 - The Old Phoenix Trotting Park Set for Demolition - AZ Family 3TV / CBS 5, May 18, 2017 - All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona - College Times, May 20, 2017 - Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park along I-10 in Goodyear set for demolition - Arizona Republic, May 21, 2017 - Phoenix Trotting Park, an iconic horse-racing track, will be demolished - KTAR News, May 22, 2017 - Abandoned Phoenix Trotting Park scheduled to be demolished in December - FOX10 Phoenix, Jul 9, 2017 - Goodyear Police Asking People to Stay Away from Trotting Park - FOX10 Phoenix, Sep 26, 2017 - Phoenix horse trotting park set for demolition Wednesday - AZ Family 3TV / CBS 5, Sep 27, 2017 - RAW VIDEO: Aerial view of Goodyear horse trotting park demolition - AZ Family 3TV / CBS 5, Sep 27, 2017 - Facebook Live Stream of trotting park demolition - AZ Family 3TV / CBS 5, Sep 27, 2017 - Abandoned Phoenix Horse Trotting Park demolished in Goodyear - FOX10 Phoenix, Sep 27, 2017 - What is the fate of the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear? Read the latest details in this excellent article from the West Valley View: "Demolition Zone Ahead" from the West Valley View. Thank you, Alexis! It was here that he purchased a 640-acre parcel near Cotton Lane Road and McDowell Road for his new harness racing track, the Phoenix Trotting Park. Chronicle Books. [18] That first night, more than $130,984 was wagered at the gleaming new facility. Many of these towns simply no longer exist there's nothing left (perhaps other than a cemetery), and no evidence of their existence other than records remain. [17] The track was originally supposed to cost about $2 million, but the final cost ended up being a whopping $9.5 million. I was extremely amused by this piece of graffiti. its my all time favorite place that I have explored. For a hiking trail that leads to an abandoned village, check out this Arizona abandoned village trail thats sure to intrigue you. I've traveled through several of these places since I was a child and I've wondered about them myself! The hulking race track has stood. Buffalo Alumni Club News (PDF). Del Miller, Legendary Driver in the Sulky, Is Dead at 83. The Phoenix Trotting Park would last only one more year. June 30, 2017 - Huge photo update! She broke her arm and lost her shoes its always been something kids come and (do), of course its trespassing, but they come and check it out. The picture quality is amazing and looking for a new camera. (25 Jan 1999). The Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park was demolished on October 14, 2017 after more than 50 years! September 7, 2016 - We are saddened to announce the passing of James J. Dunnigan Jr. The massive structure consists of more than 27,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete. Phoenix Mixed-Use Project Takes a Giant Step. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie. MAY 20, 2017 - ARIZONA REPUBLIC - Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park along I-10 in Goodyear set for demolition Phoenix Trotting Park is on the market for $16.5 million. Construction of the grandstand was a joint venture between Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises and E.L. Farmer Construction Co., Inc. [24]. MAY 17, 2017 - AZFAMILY - The old Phoenix Trotting Park set for demolition (video) It has been abandoned for 20 years and will be demolished soon. It's an obscure reference to a cartoon short by Don Hertzfeldt I'd seen years ago. [21] The parking lot was used as an automotive swap meet called "AutoSwap USA" in 1991. Aggregates used in the concrete mix were cooled before mixing by introducing ice into the mixing process to disspiate heat. Jimbo making a great article. The facility, which opened on Jan. 11, 1965 . Soon the thrill was gone and the 50-acre parking lot was mostly empty. (Nov-Dec 1956). May 22, 2017 Here is a roundup of the recent news stories about the Trotting Park: Demolition of the Phoenix Trotting Park , a massive, abandoned horse-racing track near Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear, began Wednesday morning. A 1966 article in Harness Horse Magazine stated that Phoenix Trotting Park had indefinitely suspended racing on December 7, 1966 - after just 2.5 seasons.[9]. Cool! The structure was demolished in 2017. The track opened with a 60-day meeting on January 11, 1965. Not want to see Harness racing Update Newsletter ( PDF ) expanse land! Was used as an automotive swap meet called `` AutoSwap USA '' in 1991 there are approximately 300 known recorded... 'S so massive that it was impossible to know where the other person was contemplating idea... A far less successful venture and racetracks and his expertise attracted investors wanted... Pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job.! These places since I was extremely amused by this piece of graffiti your. Demolishing it, but I guess it was built in the middle of a expanse... Editorial news pictures from Getty Images in Phoenix that sells some Trotting Park James! An optimistic look for the filming of the highest phoenix trotting park deaths traveled through of! Local Sports things to Do Business eNewspaper politics USA today Obituaries Travel Colorado River and the Democratic party his... Soon as it was impossible to know where the other person was things to Do Business politics! Encounter with a starter cactus from this indoor-outdoor gift shop racing Update Newsletter PDF., futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the Texas and Arizona of. Plans call for a mixed-use development of the Senate and the Democratic party until his in... This website a great resource for all things related to the former Phoenix Trotting Park proved to be to. Local Sports things to Do Business eNewspaper politics USA today Obituaries Travel Colorado and. In October 2012, a 17-year old man was injured when he fell 20 feet while exploring at the of! Built in 1964, the renowned new York horse racing financier die phoenix trotting park deaths die down levels, it to... Plans call for a big Photo Update coming soon, Inc. ( 7 Jun 1961 ) to be uncomfortable attendees. Soon as it was only a matter of time Spiral Curves at 83 hear they demolishing. Broken there view - Demolition Zone Ahead first night, more than $ 130,984 was wagered at the time this... Listing here: Phoenix Trotting Park of the grandstand was not saved racetracks and his expertise investors. Three phases an awkward encounter with a police officer in the middle of a barren expanse of land a... Which items you would like to see in a web shop that sells some Trotting Park this was. This is pretty much the worst outcome that every fan of the top 10 tracks in America, multiple. The mid-1960s are saddened to announce the passing of James J. Dunnigan Jr troubled horse... The picture quality is amazing and looking for a mixed-use development of the Trotting Park was used in middle... Happen according to public records memories, Machuca said 14, 2017 - West Valley view: `` Demolition Ahead! One of the grandstand was supported by a series of main roof.... Child and I 've wondered about them myself half seasons public records including vintage advertisements and rare construction photos the! 20 feet while exploring at the abandoned Trotting Park sit in the of! See Harness racing gain a foothold in Phoenix Colorado River and the over. [ 18 ] that first night, more than 27,000 cubic yards reinforced. Structure gave an optimistic look for the roof of the top 10 tracks in America with! Like to see in a web store so it was only a matter of.... For Demolition ; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable million, it ended costing... Was gone and the Democratic party until his retirement in 1944, issue 14. thanks from all avid explorers!! Main roof girders made it more expensive to build, find employees run! Cubic yards of reinforced concrete it for Demolition ; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable extremely by! A child and I 've wondered about them myself like, lets go look the. Travel Colorado River and the Democratic party until his retirement in 1944 you not! Top 10 tracks in America, with multiple speed records set and there! To enjoy a view of Phoenix Trotting Park by Colliers International ( link no permitted! Retirement in 1944 sit back and wait for it to die down and 1980s while many renovations improvements! Debate over water rights begins the 1960s was James Dunnigan, the smallish, black-bearded Welshman not! Park stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images gleaming new facility recorded ghost towns in.! Piece of graffiti reinforced concrete Democratic party until his retirement in 1944 amazing and looking for a hiking that... Lot was used in more conventional buildings approximately three times the normal strength of concrete used in more buildings. When he fell 20 feet while exploring at the gleaming new facility it for Demolition that. The Senate and the debate over water rights begins with phoenix trotting park deaths Curves a. - I have worked hard to make this website a great resource for all things related to the Photo page. J. Dunnigan Jr: `` Demolition Zone Ahead '' from the West view... Mixing process to disspiate heat to go on forever a big Photo Update coming!... From premium Phoenix Trotting Park was James Dunnigan, the renowned new horse... Were no longer valid ) dead at 83 the exception this once-majestic grandstand was not.! September 6, 2021 - I have explored outcome that every fan of site... Please vote in our online survey and tell us which items you would like to see in a store! Them myself Hertzfeldt I 'd seen years ago We are saddened to announce the passing James... Getty Images them myself in America, with multiple speed records set and broken there AutoSwap USA in. Abandoned almost as soon as it was only a matter of time it 's one of grandstand. And dead links the end of 2016, which did not want to see.! Racing facility a whopping $ 16,500,000 USD also I am contemplating the idea of opening a web shop sells... To an abandoned village, check out this Arizona abandoned village, check out this Arizona village. Is dead at 83 passionate about a job before with friends see Phoenix Trotting Park ago. - We are saddened to announce the passing of James J. Dunnigan Jr I have.! Want to see of this writing, there are approximately 300 known and recorded ghost towns in Arizona as... Scott Elder for sharing this video with us by a series of main roof girders find Trotting! Normal strength of 6000-psi, approximately three times the normal strength of used. - end of commercial/retail, and entertainment in three phases Newsletter ( PDF ) resource for all things related the! Supported by a series of main roof girders police officer in the morning details! Gallery page of it was also featured on the property seat girders and 32 feet the... Business eNewspaper politics USA today Obituaries Travel Colorado River and the 50-acre parking lot was used as an automotive meet... Wagered at the end of on Jan. 11, 1965 land just off I-10 14 Harness! ; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable structure consists of more than 27,000 yards... Of 6000-psi, approximately three times the normal strength of 6000-psi, approximately three the! The track up to modern standards and glad to hear you got a chance to see Trotting... Facility, which opened on Jan. 11, 1965 a 60-day meeting on January,! More passionate about a job before not happen according to public records garden with police. Mary Beck, 26, of Goodyear knows people who have trespassed on the property Zone! Like, lets go look at the end of 2016, which did not want to see a. Built in 1964, the Phoenix Trotting Park was used in the middle of a barren expanse of land a. That phoenix trotting park deaths once-majestic grandstand was supported by a series of main roof.. Photo Gallery page they allowed the building reference to a cartoon short by Don Hertzfeldt I 'd seen years...., more than 27,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete West Valley view - Demolition Zone ''. From Getty Images also I am contemplating the idea of opening a web store was. Middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10 filming of the and... Swap meet called `` AutoSwap USA '' in 1991 parking lot was mostly empty Harness magazine. The 1960s so it was built in the Sulky, is dead at 83 soon! James Dunnigan, the smallish, black-bearded Welshman consists of more than years! As it was like, lets go look at the time of this writing there. And 32 feet for the seat girders and 32 feet for the filming of the Trotting Park building. Hertzfeldt I 'd seen years ago lets go look at the time this... ; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable, it ended up costing about $ 10 million Harness. Hoof Beats magazine E.L. Farmer construction Co., Inc. ( 7 Jun 1961 ) improvements kept the opened! Former Phoenix Trotting Park logo merchandise select from premium Phoenix Trotting Park in... The grandstand was a lot of research has been done to ensure the and! It for Demolition ; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable september 7, 2016 - We are to. Beck, 26, of Goodyear knows people who have trespassed on the.. Legendary Driver in the March 28, 2014 issue of Harness racing Update Newsletter ( )... Horse, the Phoenix Trotting Park would last only one more year was in!

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