Posted: Tuesday, 22 April 2008 7:06AM
San Mateo Officials Okay Closing Bay Meadows Race Track
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 SAN MATEO, Calif. (KCBS) -- The days of the Bay Meadows Race Track appear to be numbered after a vote by the San Mateo City Council Monday.
KCBS' Chris Filippi reports that the council has approved the first stage of a plan to redevelop the more than 83-acre site.
Backers of the plan to bring housing, retail and open space to Bay Meadows say the redevelopment has been a long time in coming.
"A great place for parks and open space, a walkable retail main street, offices and residential homes all built of the highest quality," says Chris Meaney of the Bay Meadows Land Company. He says horse racing's prime has past. "Most people recognize that increased gambling is the only way to save racetracks in the state and this community has rejected that and we embrace this community's decision."
But track employees like John Forbes, says losing horse racing will take away San Mateo's identity. "Our family can go shopping five minutes away from our home in Sunnyvale. After Bay Meadows is gone, we won't have any reason to go to San Mateo anymore."
Initial construction as part of the redevelopment plan could move ahead as early as this fall.
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(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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KCBS' Chris Filippi reports
