"Phoenix Trotting Park was built in 1964 and opened in 1965. Harness Racing Update March 28, 2014 by Dean A. Hoffman. After pouring, the fresh concrete was covered with black polyethylene plastic sheets to conserve moisture as well as to simulate steam curing methods. Many readers have reached out to me with submissions of photos of the Trotting Park. Low 37F. Read his Obituary and this article about his life (link no longer valid) from HarnessRacing.com. Dunnigan was able to drum up some financing from his trotting buddies in New York, including Norman S. Woolworth (a relative of the wealthy J.W. Phoenix was terribly impressed by St. Mawr, he could not leave off staring at him. Behind came Phoenix, like a shadow, with his yellowish, high-boned face still looking sick. I have wondered about this place! It closed in 1966 and was eventually demolished in 2017. MAY 18, 2018 - COLLEGE TIMES - All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona 16 Slater, Chuck. 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. Raising the Bar: Chocolate's History, Art, and Taste With Sophia Contreras Rea Phoenix Trotting Park was a dream of three horsemen from the U.S. East Coast --. Harness Racing UpdateMarch 28, 2014by Dean A. Hoffman. (14 Dec 1966). The Phoenix Trotting Park is a relic of leisure and vice smack in middle of the desert. Cant wait til later this week when I do a full exploration. With pepper spray in hand, I descended a dark stairway into the abyss. Its just different.. June 22, 2015 - We are now on Twitter! Really great site, Jim!Sadly, they are tearing the Trotting Park down soon. Also large industrial complexes are my specialty and have been to all 50 states and Canada.Much enjoyed your Titan I photos (have you seen the two TITAN I complexes in Eastern Washington? View our extensive collection of historical and modern-day images, including rare construction photos. Originally budgeted at $3 million, it ended up costing about $10 million. Thank you, Alexis! For its time, it was state of the art. A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. The pari-mutuel handle on opening night was virtually a mirage, too, as the crowd of more than 12,000 pushed $130,984 through the windows. immeemz/Flickr. 35 Padgett, Mike. The Phoenix Trotting Park was built in 1964 under the vision of a man by the name of James Dunnigan. Back in 1964, the Trotting Park was located far outside the edge of town. Roof Level - No Public Access. In 1975 he was inducted into the Living Hall of Fame. A graveside service is scheduled to be held on Friday (Sept. 2) at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Phoenix. And with the exception of a brief use for a movie, the property had sat abandoned since its closure. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing. The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park. [1] Ivone Grassetto, head of Impressa Eugenio Grassetto of Padua, Italy designed the grandstand and the main racing strip. Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises/E.L. Growth in the "Valley of the Sun" is rebounding from the economic downturn which started in 2008. Sports Illustrated Magazine. November 1, 2016 - I have added a new page of fan mail and letters from readers about the Trotting Park. Unknown magazine scan, 69-71. (Nov-Dec 1956). Racing continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s while many renovations and improvements kept the track up to modern standards. You and your brother are going to have an awesome time exploring Phoenix Trotting Park. 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 land sold for $16.5 million to a New York-based developer called Keystone Equities LLC. May 18, 2017 - Two more great news stories in the news today about the Trotting Park. June 17, 2018 - With the Phoenix Trotting Park now demolished, the land has been listed again with Colliers, this time for $24 million. According to a YouTube video, a motorcycle show was held at the park on March 26, 1988. Phoenix Trotting Park is on the market for $16.5 million. About to adventure this one myself. Watch as the abandoned Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear, Arizona is brought to the ground with one of the largest demolition machines in the world. His son of the same name recently passed away on August 22, 2016 in Phoenix. Therefore, you won't be surprised by its current spooky state. The building had so many levels, it seemed to go on forever. These hollow, V-shaped girders measured 8 by 8 by 105 feet, and were considered "lightweight" at 120 tons. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. [27] The park was reported to be in escrow in August of 2016 [28], but that sale fell through and did not complete. More videos on TUC Extras Channel: http://youtube.com/theunknowncamextrashttps://www.facebook.com/TheUnknownCameraman/http://www.twitter.com/TheUnknownCam HarnessMuseum.com. I've been a couple times to just look at the outside. In this week's episode 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. There is nothing imminent other than the fact that its being taken down.. Very informative and I can't wait to go see some of these places as well. Suddenly he made off like a bounding hare, ears flung back, chasing the shadow of a lowskimming gull. Please vote in our online survey and tell us which items you would like to see in a web store. Last, my baby brother is in town & we are planning to go TRY to explore this place this upcoming weekend. Notre Dame Alumnus, Vol. I never got the guts to go past the gate, though.. Learn about the 1998 movie and the famous explosion scene. 23 Goodyear Trotting Park Receives Interest. West Valley View. 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. The elder James J. Dunnigan was the one who built the Phoenix Trotting Park, and he passed away in 1983. (29 Dec 2020). The building has since sat empty, and has fallen into disrepair. Speaking of which, there is a new one out in Construction Equipment Guide, please take a look: OCT 10, 2017 - CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE - Demolition Under Way on Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park. However you want to describe the Phoenix Trotting Park it can be yours for $16.5 million. He also served as president pro tempore of the New York State Senate from 1933 through 1938.[1]. Demolition of the Phoenix Trotting Park , a massive, abandoned horse-racing track near Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear, began Wednesday morning. In June of 1942, James helped found the Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg, New York[8]. The picture quality is amazing and looking for a new camera. A friend of hers was injured during a visit. 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. Following the demolition of the grandstand in 2018, the seller has increased the asking price of the land by $7.5 million from the previous listing two years ago. The completed grandstand facility had the following levels: Basement - Loading dock, Receiving Area, Storage Rooms, Switch Room, and a Freight Elevator Secondly. 2. The Trotting Park was also the feature of a recent episode of Valley 101, a podcast from the Arizona Republic that answers questions about the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. 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 inaugural card. My grandmother worked there when it first opened it was such a progressive and beautiful concept. - 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? We are now parked in that RV park in back of the Phoenix Trotting Park. Time Magazine. Sale of W.V. It feels like ages since I was there. Southwestern playing cards, cactus jellies and desert-focused gardening books are a sample of what we sell. Check it out on the videos page. With a prime location at the I-10 and Loop 303 interchange, it is only a matter of time before someone decides to acquire the site. It was the Phoenix Trotting Park, an abandoned harness horse racing track from the mid-1960s that ran for just two seasons before going bankrupt. Ong Hing v. Arizona Harness Raceway, Inc. Arizona Rites Held for James Dunnigan; Was Founder of Buffalo Raceway, Goodyear's Horse Track Becomes 'White Elephant', Man Injured in Fall at Goodyear Trotting Park, The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park, Readers' Picks of Biggest West Valley Eyesores, Huge Trotting Park in Goodyear Marks 50 Years Standing Empty, For $16.5 Million, You Could Own the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear, The Old Phoenix Trotting Park Set for Demolition, All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona, Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park along I-10 in Goodyear set for demolition, Phoenix Trotting Park, an iconic horse-racing track, will be demolished, Abandoned Phoenix Trotting Park scheduled to be demolished in December, Goodyear Police Asking People to Stay Away from Trotting Park, Phoenix horse trotting park set for demolition Wednesday, RAW VIDEO: Aerial view of Goodyear horse trotting park demolition, Facebook Live Stream of trotting park demolition, Abandoned Phoenix Horse Trotting Park demolished in Goodyear. Soar over the Trotting Park with amazing aerial drone videos sent in by readers, plus other clips. Such a neat place. The backstretch area now is the Cotton Lane RV and Mobile Home Park. Driving back from California, it was an indicator that you were almost to Phoenix. For a hiking trail that leads to an abandoned village, check out this Arizona abandoned village trail thats sure to intrigue you. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. There are several unique features about the grandstand's construction that make it unique. I have added the latest batch of letters to the Letters page. 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. 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