November 21, 2016 - Huge thanks to Gary Oglesby for sending in his drone footage of the Trotting Park. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. The Arizona Republic, pp 13. Article originally posted on Phoenix Business Journal on February 6, 2023 A developer is seeking an indefinite extension for a 224-acre mixed-use business and retail center that's slated for the former Phoenix Trotting Park property along Interstate 10 and the Loop 303 in Goodyear. The track changed hands again in 1990 when it was purchased by the Erie County Agricultural Society, who continues to operate it to this day. Southwestern playing cards, cactus jellies and desert-focused gardening books are a sample of what we sell. The Phoenix Trotting Park harness racing track in Goodyear was torn down last week, and now sits as a pile of concrete and rebar at the interchange of I-10 and Loop 303. Harness Racing Update. I sent pictures to people back home and told them about where I'd just been. It always pays off to be silent and aware of your surroundings when exploring alone.Great pictures. Their . It has become an issue. Their plans call for a mixed-use development of the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and entertainment in three phases. 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]. The movie has a 44% rating on the website RottenTomatoes.com. (22 Oct 2012). Ive seen it going on the I-10 for years, and now its going to be gone, Randy Bowland, 43, of Surprise said. The sale was expected to close by the end of 2016, which did not happen according to public records. Check it out on the videos page. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); March 26, 2022 - AZCentral has published an article about the land where the Trotting Park once stood being redeveloped as a mixed-use site with industrial and retail coming. I've been using the Sony RX100M3. Trotting Park was demolished for safety reasons, said Chaz Smith, senior vice president of Colliers International, which represents the Roles family and Citrus Commerce Centre LLC, the owners of the property. Learn about the 1998 movie and the famous explosion scene. It was built in 1964 for $9.5 million, more than $6 million over budget, to house spectators during harness races. The Phoenix Trotting Park was constructed in the 1960's by the Dunnigan family. The industrial buildings are expected to begin going up in late summer or early fall. Thanks for the tip! We also explored and got some great pictures around there and out at Corn Springs, etc. (10 Oct 2011). What is the fate of the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear? After pouring, the fresh concrete was covered with black polyethylene plastic sheets to conserve moisture as well as to simulate steam curing methods. And with the exception of a brief use for a movie, the property had sat abandoned since its closure. MAY 22, 2017 - FOX10 PHOENIX - Abandoned Phoenix Trotting Park scheduled to be demolished in December Its just different.. September 7, 2016 - We are saddened to announce the passing of James J. Dunnigan Jr. Phoenix Trotting Park was built twenty miles from Downtown Phoenix and only accessible by way of dirt roads, making it a chore to get to. The track, which was built in 1964 and used for a little more than two years, has sat vacant since, but is seen as an iconic building by many Phoenicians, especially residents of the West Valley. (13 May 2004). You mentioned going in a certain side, from the view videos we've seen it looks like there is two fences and lots of fines for trespassing - was it the same when you visited & you were just careful? The plan was to build a grandstand with a capacity of 5,400 spectators. Or do you use other cameras? 10 Arizona Rites Held for James Dunnigan. It is unclear what drew James J. Dunnigan from his home in New York to a barren patch of Arizona desert. [4] However, a variety of factors led to the inevitable closing of the track. This is pretty much the worst outcome that every fan of the Trotting Park did not want to see happen. 1965 Season Jan 12, 1965 - Opening Night Spring 1965 (?) there, there is a bridge type thing that leads right to it. It is upsetting that this once-majestic grandstand was not saved. 224-Acre Mixed-Use Hub Proposed for Goodyear. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Future plans include availability for private parties and, yes, maybe even weddings. Back in 1964, the Trotting Park was located far outside the edge of town. However you want to describe the Phoenix Trotting Park it can be yours for $16.5 million. He was flying a drone into the demolition area after workers had left for the day. The 194 acre parcel of land in Goodyear is zoned for Agriculture or Planned Area Development, which means that future development could include Shopping & Entertainment, Business Park, Commercial, Office, Warehouse/Distribution, Regional Hospital, or Light Industrial. 16 Phoenix Trotting Park. For $16.5 Million, You Could Own the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear The Arizona Republic, 2016; Man Injured in Fall at Goodyear Trotting Park West Valley View, 2012; The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park Harness Racing Update, 2014; Phoenix Trotting Park Suspends Racing Indefinitely Harness Horse Magazine, 1966 I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. This was one of the top 10 tracks in America, with multiple speed records set and broken there. I personally want to see it, so maybe other people will go, Cool, somebody got pictures of it up close. With the fence right here, you cant get that close, but with this, I should be able to get pretty close.. "The trotting park might have been a mirage from another age or another world.". Ivy Walls and Horse Stalls. In the early 1960s, James J. Dunnigan invested heavily in a new harness racing track called Phoenix Trotting Park, located in Arizona. You have permission to edit this article. Roars the never were . November 1, 2016 - I have added a new page of fan mail and letters from readers about the Trotting Park. Phoenix Trotting Park was a fantasy track when it opened in 1965, but the fantasy became a nightmare when it ceased operations in December of 1966, less than two years after its . The land sold for $16.5 million to a New York-based developer called Keystone Equities LLC. This is just amazing i am studying public design and this is really helping me so please keep posting your experience :). But Phoenix Trotting Park proved to be the exception. I tried to visit a couple weeks ago, but was told to leave by a local. CDR Staff | September 28, 2017 Demolition of Phoenix Trotting Park, an abandoned horse racing track in Goodyear, Arizona, recently began, a report by azcentral.com says. GOODYEAR, Ariz It was built 50 years too soon. It is too bad that nobody thought about customers would have to travel 20 miles by dirt road to get there. (Dec 2010). Also, look for a mention of the Trotting Park on Page 6 of the May 18-June 22 issue of the College Times, found on college campuses throughout the Valley. 7, Issue 4. The firm and its eponymous founder are famous for inventing the modern shopping mall as we know it today. As I walked back to my car, I felt so accomplished, I was shaking with excitement. SEP 27, 2017 - AZFAMILY - RAW VIDEO: Aerial view of Goodyear horse trotting park demolition Thoroughbred racing is held at Turf Paradise just north of central Phoenix, but its best days are in the past. Opened in 1965, it closed less than 2 years later. 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. HarnessMuseum.com. And did you know there are actual Arizona ghost towns within Maricopa county? August 7, 2016 - Huge photo update!! In June of 1942, James helped found the Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg, New York[8]. Glad you're enjoying the site. The Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park was demolished on October 14, 2017 after more than 50 years! Looking for something lost in a past life. With pepper spray in hand, I descended a dark stairway into the abyss. [15] Construction began in 1964 on the massive structure, which contained more than 27,000 cubic yards of concrete. -Zack b. Major demolition of the concrete structure began on Sept. 27 and it will take a few months to remove the 20,000 tons of rubble. The park was demolished in 2017. Phoenix itself was built on the ruins of a Native American civilization and thus earned its name after the mythical bird of rebirth. There are several unique features about the grandstand's construction that make it unique. Demolition of the Phoenix Trotting Park , a massive, abandoned horse-racing track near Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear, began Wednesday morning. Thank you to the College Times and 3TV/CBS5 for your interest in the story of the Trotting Park. Theyre all fairly interesting, thats for sure! 35 Padgett, Mike. 28 Gullickson, Glenn. The shell of the space-age grandstand has survived for a half-century in the dry Arizona climate although the decay is obvious even from a distance. Haven't tried to go inside, though. NOTE: Some sources do not include published dates. Thank you. Check them out on the Photo Gallery page. Jimbo making a great article. The hulking race track has stood abandoned for 51 years, an eyesore to some and iconic to others, but a landmark to many traveling the interstate to and from California. Raising the Bar: Chocolate's History, Art, and Taste With Sophia Contreras Rea View our extensive collection of historical and modern-day images, including rare construction photos. immeemz/Flickr. This website is not affiliated with the owners of the Trotting Park in any way, and I genuinely wish they would find a way to preserve or re-use the building instead of tearing it down. In January 1965, the Phoenix Trotting Park, a harness racing track, opened. The origins of the Phoenix Trotting Park begin with the Dunnigans, an Irish-American family living in New York at the turn of the century. Thanks for any info! I agree; you can't be too careful. - Start of second season Spring 1966 (?) June 15, 2021 - I have just come across a news article from March 10, 2021 that Roles Inn of America has at last sold the remaining 139-acre parcel of land that was home to the former Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear, Arizona. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. Someone had left cans of spray paint sitting out. Winds light and variable.. Clear. (2008). So sad they have scheduled it for demolition; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable. The Phoenix Trotting Park, was a horse racing track built in 1964 in Goodyear, Arizona, United States. It mostly sat idle. The inner walls were stripped down to skeletons, but in some places you could get a sense of where the walls and windows had been. Phoenix Trotting Park is on the market for $16.5 million. The track's existence was a direct result of the passage of the "Pari-mutuel Revenue Law" of 1940,[11] which was largely influenced by Senator John Dunnigan. I guess you could sit back and wait for it to die down. The University renamed the facility "'Lopes Canyon Ranch" after the school's athletic mascot, the Antelopes. Ezra Machuca of Buckeye was there September 28 to take pictures. Third Level - Employee Locker Rooms, Employee Cafeteria, Main Kitchen, Store Rooms, Restaurant Space He enjoyed politics and remained a member of the Senate and the Democratic party until his retirement in 1944. The track was a success right from the start, and James managed the track for twenty-five years, during which time he became greatly experienced in the world of harness racing. (8 Mar 1965). Thats his secondary preference, though. It was built of reinforced concrete, and could . But the lack of a decent roadway to get there from Phoenix and perhaps the wearing off of the novelty of a harness race forced its closure just two years later. March 18, 2017 - It appears that the sale of the Trotting Park fell through and was not finalized. It was so amazing. Thanks for sending it in. I have worked hard to make this website a great resource for all things related to the former Phoenix Trotting Park. This old abandoned dog racing track in Arizona was found just off the highway in Black Canyon City and continued to decay since it was abandoned in the 1980s. 32 Tapia, Monica. The Buffalo Raceway opened in June of 1942 in Hamburg, New York[8]. From the roof I enjoyed some great views of different sections of the structure. Harness Racing Update March 28, 2014 by Dean A. Hoffman. He purchased a huge plot of land from Karl and Norbert Abel[15], who owned vast amounts of land in the area. He did get permission before flying there. Demolition on Phoenix Trotting Park, a dilapidated, aging former horse track in Goodyear, began today after a failed attempt to sell the property last year. Temp: 33. The buyers and the sale price have not yet been disclosed. I was so damn excited to finally see one, although nowhere near the signs or the big bogs that flank 95. 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. 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]. I want to try again, but this time do it right! 23 Goodyear Trotting Park Receives Interest. Thank you, Alexis! June 30, 2017 - Huge photo update! 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 June 22, 2015 - We are now on Twitter! - End of first season 1966 Season Early 1966 (?) 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