The Hollywood Park Racetrack was located in Inglewood, California, and, as the name suggests, was a thoroughbred race course. Located approximately 3 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, it was right next to the Forum. Also known as Betfair Hollywood Park, it was one of the more popular horse racetracks and also featured a poker card room. However, it was closed down at the end of the 2013 racing season as the president of this thoroughbred race course declared it would be more lucrative to develop the land than continue using it as a race course.
The Hollywood Turf Club inaugurated the Hollywood Park Racetrack in 1938, with Arthur Froehlich as the designer of this thoroughbred race course. Froehlich was a respected and prestigious architect of horse racetracks at the time. This racetrack was chaired by the famous Harry Warner of Warner Brothers’ fame and had 600 shareholders, many of whom were noted Hollywood personalities, including Jack Warner.
Al Jolson, Raoul Walsh, and Harry Warner were part of the founding Board of Directors, while the racetrack was managed by MervynLeRoy, who was the director of the Hollywood Park Racetrack for more than 40 years.
This thoroughbred race course had a somewhat rocky history. It was shut down for approximately two years, from 1942 to 1944, because of World War II. During this time it was used for storage. It had to be closed down again in 1949, when the grandstand and the clubhouse caught on fire and were completely destroyed. The racetrack opened up again in 1950, after these facilities were rebuilt.
The Hollywood Park Racetrack underwent some changes in 1984 and 1986, with this thoroughbred race course being expanded, as the track was lengthened to approximately 1 1/8 mile from 1 mile, while the turf course was extended to 1 mile from slightly over 7/8 mile. In 1994, the complex was further modified with a new addition, namely a card room.
Despite changing hands and significant investment, the Hollywood Park Racetrack was still shut down at the end of the racing season in 2013. F. Jack Liebau, the president of one of the most famous horse racetracks in the Los Angeles area, explained in a letter that the land the thoroughbred race course sat on was too valuable to keep the racing going. He said that since no favorable changes could be foreseen in terms of the racing business model, it would be more lucrative to develop the land.
It is expected that all the meets held at Hollywood Park Racetrack will be moved to Del Mar Racetrack, Santa Anita Park, and Del Mar Racetrack.
The History of the Hollywood Park Racetrack
The Hollywood Turf Club inaugurated the Hollywood Park Racetrack in 1938, with Arthur Froehlich as the designer of this thoroughbred race course. Froehlich was a respected and prestigious architect of horse racetracks at the time. This racetrack was chaired by the famous Harry Warner of Warner Brothers’ fame and had 600 shareholders, many of whom were noted Hollywood personalities, including Jack Warner.
Al Jolson, Raoul Walsh, and Harry Warner were part of the founding Board of Directors, while the racetrack was managed by MervynLeRoy, who was the director of the Hollywood Park Racetrack for more than 40 years.
This thoroughbred race course had a somewhat rocky history. It was shut down for approximately two years, from 1942 to 1944, because of World War II. During this time it was used for storage. It had to be closed down again in 1949, when the grandstand and the clubhouse caught on fire and were completely destroyed. The racetrack opened up again in 1950, after these facilities were rebuilt.
The Card Room
The Hollywood Park Racetrack underwent some changes in 1984 and 1986, with this thoroughbred race course being expanded, as the track was lengthened to approximately 1 1/8 mile from 1 mile, while the turf course was extended to 1 mile from slightly over 7/8 mile. In 1994, the complex was further modified with a new addition, namely a card room.
Despite changing hands and significant investment, the Hollywood Park Racetrack was still shut down at the end of the racing season in 2013. F. Jack Liebau, the president of one of the most famous horse racetracks in the Los Angeles area, explained in a letter that the land the thoroughbred race course sat on was too valuable to keep the racing going. He said that since no favorable changes could be foreseen in terms of the racing business model, it would be more lucrative to develop the land.
It is expected that all the meets held at Hollywood Park Racetrack will be moved to Del Mar Racetrack, Santa Anita Park, and Del Mar Racetrack.
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