Facing mounting losses, this coastal city's greyhound race park closed for at least a year after Sunday's card, ending a near-two-decade run.
The track's owners decided to go dark for 2008 after the Texas Racing Commission denied a request for a reduced racing schedule. The track had hoped to institute a racing circuit with a track in Harlingen.
Filings with the Texas Racing Commission show the Corpus track was losing about $3.5 million a year and owed investors $35.5 million. It sustained losses for years hoping the state would legalize slot machines or live poker.
General manager Rick Pimentel said about 115 people will lose their jobs, but the track hopes to be able to reopen in 2009. "We're definitely pushing in that direction," Pimentel said. "We definitely want to do something in 2009."
Betting on simulcast racing at other tracks -- a draw when the local dogs aren't running -- is scheduled to end Monday.
Construction of the Corpus track began in 1989 after Texas approved greyhound licenses in Galveston, Cameron and Nueces counties in a 1987 referendum. It opened in 1991.
Built before major city attractions such as Whataburger Field and the Lexington Museum on the Bay, the track was a resounding success in its early years. Attendance in the first year was 949,399. Last year it was 139,117. Track operators blamed the advent of the Texas lottery and the arrival of the casino boat Texas Treasure for some of the decline.
Pimentel said the track has found homes for about 100 dogs. Several have gone or will go to other tracks, but about 70 still need homes. The track will board the dogs until all are adopted.
