Fourth Level - Dining Platforms, Main Seating, Cashier Counters, Executive Office, Conference Room 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? Phoenix was terribly impressed by St. Mawr, he could not leave off staring at him. The Phoenix Trotting Park, was a horse racing track built in 1964 in Goodyear, Arizona, United States. So you only use the Sony RX100M3 camera for all your photos? hello jessalyn, I went just a couple months ago and actually parked on a dirt road right by the trailer community directly behind trotting park. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. The track opened with a 60-day meeting on January 11, 1965. The Phoenix Trotting Park was constructed in the 1960's by the Dunnigan family. Temp: 33. Phoenix Trotting Park, An Architectural Paragon, Has Set Out To Win The West! There were a number of daunting reasons for closing, like high operational expenses and flood hazards. Revenue failed to compensate for the difference. He did get permission before flying there. Phoenix Trotting Park could be reduced to ashes if Arizona's long-shuttered Standardbred track is sold. In this series, the nation's top 2-year-old and 3-year-old trotters and pacers compete. 1 John J. Dunnigan. The structure was demolished in 2017. Someone had left cans of spray paint sitting out. 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. While people were no longer permitted to enter the dilapidated building before its destruction, some photographers still managed . Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. "An Arizona sunset staged its daily extravaganza in the background and a misty blue haze hung low over the quiet desert growth," Flora wrote about the opening night vista. February 12, 2022 - Thank you to everyone who sent in their letters following the "Only In Your State" article. Published September 27, 2017. I was so damn excited to finally see one, although nowhere near the signs or the big bogs that flank 95. Unfortunately, however, all good things must come to an end, and the facility closed in 1966 despite its initial success. 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. The roof of the grandstand was supported by a series of main roof girders. September 7, 2016 - We are saddened to announce the passing of James J. Dunnigan Jr. It is too bad that nobody thought about customers would have to travel 20 miles by dirt road to get there. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. Theres no shortage of abandoned places in Arizona. Aggregates used in the concrete mix were cooled before mixing by introducing ice into the mixing process to disspiate heat. 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. I'm so happy to have found your site. Discovery sues Paramount over 'South Park' deal,NEW YORK (AP) Warner Bros. (29 Dec 2020). In 1995, Grand Canyon University sold the 224-acre track to local developer Ray Roles for $2 million. Thank you, Valerie! AZBEX. The Trotting Park has been listed for sale! Glad you're enjoying the site. Next week's post will be about a couple of neat old abandoned houses in Dateland, AZ that I explored later that day. James J. Dunnigan died on April 6, 1983 at the age of 71.[10]. About 45 minutes before I left, I heard the loud echoing of someone else exploring the place. So glad you captured this. Will be content with your great pictures. (25 Jan 1999). Between Phoenix and Lewis there was a latent, but unspoken and wary sympathy. Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Contact Us, Valley 101 Explores the History of the Phoenix Trotting Park, Phoenix Mixed-Use Project Takes a Giant Step, Demolition Under Way on Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park, Demolition of massive Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear begins. Originally budgeted at $3 million, it ended up costing about $10 million. Or do you use other cameras? GCU hosted a number of small rodeo events including the Junior Rodeo and the 1993 All-Arabian Horse Society Spring Show.[34]. They allowed the building to achieve unusually long cantilevers of 39 feet for the seat girders and 32 feet for the roof girders. (Nov 1964). As a result of the growing popularity of car racing when it first became a sport, other similar races which involved horses and cycles (aka the predecessors to modern bicycles with the enormous wheels) went out of style. June 22, 2015 - We are now on Twitter! Low 37F. Mezzanine Floor - Men's and Women's Bathrooms, Stairwell Access With this website, I hope to tell the story of this magnificent yet troubled structure so that its legacy can live on, even though the building itself is now gone. It was originally supposed to be built for $3 million, but after Italian architects and contractors were brought in it wound up closer to $10 million, essentially bankrupting its builder, James Dunnigan, who had operated Buffalo Raceway. 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 17, 2018 - With the Phoenix Trotting Park now demolished, the land has been listed again with Colliers, this time for $24 million. Really great site, Jim!Sadly, they are tearing the Trotting Park down soon. The Phoenix Trotting Park is a relic of leisure and vice smack in middle of the desert. The purpose of this website is to preserve the Trotting Park's history, to tell the story of the owner's failed dream, and to educate the curious about this unusual racetrack and its troubled past. And only pictures, videos and memories of the ones that had adventures exploring the place will remain now, it has been demolished probably another cookie cutter suburban development will fill the space and someone not familiar with the area will never know it was there. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. April 14, 2017 - A third person has now sent me a drone flyover video of the trotting track, and it's one of the best I've seen yet! No longer a roadside eyesore (or a glorious place for exploration, depending on who you ask), all that remains of a place that once provided lively entertainment are memories. Plans for the track property are not known. So sad they have scheduled it for demolition; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable. There wasn't much down there, just a lot of open space and a few random fixtures. After pouring, the fresh concrete was covered with black polyethylene plastic sheets to conserve moisture as well as to simulate steam curing methods. - 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? 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. March 18, 2017 - It appears that the sale of the Trotting Park fell through and was not finalized. This is just amazing i am studying public design and this is really helping me so please keep posting your experience :). Never miss an issue. Also added a few new letters from readers. Cool! 33 Scanlon, Tom. One pundit described the hulking shell of the track as "a giant tan Jetsonian mausoleum built in the middle of a desert to host harness racing, without any apparent regard for how flagrantly dumb and doomed it would be to do something like that.". Check it out on the videos page. According to a new article published in the West Valley View, the Phoenix Trotting Park is in escrow. 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. One example of this shifting interest can arguably be seen in the abandoned horse race track known . Construction of the grandstand was a joint venture between Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises and E.L. Farmer Construction Co., Inc. [24]. [8] While the track seemed promising at first, a variety of factors caused it to close after only two and a half seasons,[9] leaving Dunnigan nearly bankrupt. The movie has a 44% rating on the website RottenTomatoes.com. It was visible from the I-10 and became a popular destination for urban exploration until security guards were installed at the property. (14 Jan 2016). (2007). How cool that your grandmother got to work there! Nice story! High 56F. The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s. A Guide to the Architecture of Metro Phoenix. Harness Racing Update March 28, 2014 by Dean A. Hoffman. Unknown magazine scan. Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear before it was demolished. 2. Check out Long-vacant Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear is in escrow, could be demolished by Adrian Hedden. The horses belonged to Ron and Arla Delver, who told the StarPhoenix earlier this month that two horses were found dead on Dec. 14 and two more were found on Dec. 21 on summer pasture land. 30 1068 N Cotton Ln Goodyear AZ. 1. The second night the crowd fell to 4,000, which wasn't unexpected, but then the crowds simply kept shrinking. 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. Their plans call for a mixed-use development of the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and entertainment in three phases. I usually use the Sony RX100M3, but once in a while I'll use my phone (Samsung Note 4) if I've run out of batteries or don't have my camera on me. He did get permission before flying there. Learn about the 1998 movie and the famous explosion scene. 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. 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. Built in 1964, the Phoenix Trotting Park was actually located in Goodyear, Arizona. A friend of hers was injured during a visit. It mostly sat idle. Counter conspiracy: Moose on 95 in Clinton will only reveal themselves to you if you are a true Mainer. I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. If you cant get enough of Arizonas fascinating history and abandoned places, you might also want to check out eight of our favorite spooky Route 66 ghost towns! - Start of second season Spring 1966 (?) The New York Times. 26 Whiting, Brent. 98. 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. At various times during his long association with the sport, he served as a director of the USTA, Harness Tracks of America and the Harness Racing Institute. Love Arizona? Cant wait til later this week when I do a full exploration. The production company was criticized for this and the film did not receive approval from the American Humane Association as a result. -Zack b. 24 A Glass Enclosed Palace for the "Sport of Kings. Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord issued a statement about the property. Get more stories delivered right to your email. The Sun and the Erie County Independent. 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. I tried to visit a couple weeks ago, but was told to leave by a local. Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises/E.L. It closed in 1966 and was eventually demolished in 2017. Third Level - Employee Locker Rooms, Employee Cafeteria, Main Kitchen, Store Rooms, Restaurant Space [13] The track was located far outside city limits, where roads were mostly unimproved dirt. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. Im going to get some good shots, good memories, Machuca said. Phoenix Trotting Park now has a daily double on the first and second races, quinellas on the second, third, fourth, six, seventh and eighth races, and a twin double involving the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth. If anyone knows any information about it, please use the Contact Form to send me some details! And did you know there are actual Arizona ghost towns within Maricopa county? There are several unique features about the grandstand's construction that make it unique. (Nov-Dec 1956). The New York Times. I returned to the ground level and did a little more exploring. This page was last edited on 5 October 2022, at 03:19. 2 Hon. It wasn't that way when track executive Jimmy Dunnigan, who also operated Buffalo Raceway, led a group of investors to bring harness racing to the desert. September 27, 2017 - Dear friends, visitors, and fans of the Phoenix Trotting Park - Today I am saddened to report that the owners have begun demolishing this truly unique and iconic structure. The industrial buildings are expected to begin going up in late summer or early fall. Ivy Walls and Horse Stalls. Thanks, Mike! Last, my baby brother is in town & we are planning to go TRY to explore this place this upcoming weekend. Suddenly he made off like a bounding hare, ears flung back, chasing the shadow of a lowskimming gull. 67, Issue 14. Do you remember seeing the large, unusual structure along Interstate 10 in Goodyear, Arizona and wondering: "What is that thing?" (11 Dec 1996). The hollow roof girders were also part of the track's innovative heating system, which kept the spectators warm during the winter months. Thats the biggest thing everybody says, youre almost home. However, the cantilever at the roof level reaches a remarkable 44 feet with the attachment of the front fascia units. Behind came Phoenix, like a shadow, with his yellowish, high-boned face still looking sick. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Sitting in the middle of Arizona, Cordes was founded in 1883 by John Henry Cordes. The Phoenix Trotting Park was built in 1964 under the vision of a man by the name of James Dunnigan. Thank you, Alexis! The scraped site was re-listed for sale in Summer 2018 for $24 million dollars. It feels like ages since I was there. Though closed in 1966, the 194-acre property had been continuously owned by either individuals or corporations/businesses. Most of my explorations have been in the Rust Belt and the Southwest, but I desperately want to take a trip through the rest of the southern states. 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. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Phoenix Trotting Park Our list of abandoned tracks could also include another impressive project that was supposed to draw in the most famous teams in the world. I was extremely amused by this piece of graffiti. 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. GOODYEAR, Ariz It was built 50 years too soon. His son of the same name recently passed away on August 22, 2016 in Phoenix. I would love to see it repurposed instead of demolished. If you have race results for the Phoenix Trotting Park (a list of horses, drivers, teams and race results), such as an old magazine, please do get in touch. The Phoenix Trotting Park wasnt the only spooky abandoned spot in Arizona; other famous (or perhaps infamous) abandoned places in Arizona are places like: 3. (22 Oct 2012). The elder James J. Dunnigan was the one who built the Phoenix Trotting Park, and he passed away in 1983. [2] He died in December 1965 at the age of 82.[3]. The buyers and the sale price have not yet been disclosed. (13 May 2004). One of the proprietors and visionaries behind the park was James Dunnigan, the renowned New York horse racing financier.
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