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Home My WebLink About1990-01-17 Bass Park Committee Minutes` "4A& k COMPLEX A DIVISION f BANGOR PARRY 100DOTMN5TRERT-3ANG0R,M,UNB OI001 SAINGOR wMa utDrkZVI '.IIP!'1'01 TRcaRDNE son 9424aa CIVIC CENTER BANGOR RACEWAY MINUTES BASS PARK COMMITTEE BANGOR CITY HALL JANUARY 17, 1990 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Soanaud at 4:05 PM. Present were.. Jeff Soanaud, Richard Stone, Mary Sullivan, Pat Blanchette, Tom Sawyer, Ed Barrett, Dale Theriault, Owen Butler and;Itlarence Peters. 1. Frederick 'Red" Barry Foundation Richard Stacey, a member of the Board of Directors of the Frederick K. "Red". Barry Foundation, explained the purpose of the foundation and his reason for addressing the board. The foundation wishes to award a Most Valuable Player in Eastern Maine Basketball each year and to place the name of the recipient on a perpetual plaque which, if authorized, would be placed on a wall in the Bangor Auditorium. The committee voted unanimously for approval. 2. 1990 Harness Racing Dates Mr. Theriault explained that the Maine Harness Racing Commission will meet in Augusta on Tuesday, January 23, to assign racing dates for the 1990 season. Bangor applied for a 50 -day racing season to the Commission last fall and, at the request of the Bass Park Committee, this was later ended to a 60 -day schedule which the Commission presently has on file. Material was passed out showing a daily average handle for May 26 through June 15, 1909, of $75,297 and a June 16 through July 29 average daily handle of $93,701. This presented an average handle of $91,304. An average handle of nearly $90,000 pef race day is needed to reach the break-even point in operations. This information s presented to show that racing too early in the year affects the profitability of the meet. Paid attendance during the same time frames showed an increase of 90 more people per day along with a much larger increase in handle. wPAGE 2 This might show that patron&, earlier in the season when weather was a little cooler, may have not stayed at the park as long as they did later. Mitchell Gallant, President of the Downeast Harness Horsemen's Association, presented a proposal to the committee suggesting a total of 75 racing days s at this time, Lewiston Raceway has withdrawn its dates for 1990• The schedule would begin on May 4th, close for the Bangor Pair, and reopen August 11 for three-day weekends through September 29th. He presented figures showing revenue for the 23 days in August and September based on the $100,400 average for the last 16 days of the 1989 program. A discussion followed regarding the problems involved with racing head-to-head with the faire. These included adequate horse supplies, as well as the availability of racing officials, pari-mutuel personnel, and united Tote equipment which leaves Bangor and travels the fair circuit. Another potential problem is if Lewiston does not open this year, will the personnel who normally work there be available for a Bangor season which will start in May? Also, where will we find adequate personnel to work in August and September on weekends only? Mr. Gallant stated that if a racetrack runs against the fairs, the fairs may request horses from the other .track to fill their box if short. He did not see this as being a problem if w race against the fairs. Mrs. Blanchette also did not see this as being a problem but she is concerned that the handle for the extra dates would be large enough to cover fixed expenses. Staff is very concerned about opening too early in May due to probable cool and inclement weather and low daily handles. Owen Butler suggested a compromise schedule starting on May 18th and ending September 30th. This would total 72 days and eliminate the early May dates. This suggestion gained approval and a motion was approved that Ed Barrett and Dale Theriault finalize the dates to be presented to the Racing Commission by Friday. Staff will check over the next few weeks as to availability of officials, pari-mutuel personnel, etc. DRes ectfully submitted, �IJJ� Dale W. Theriarks Director of Parks and Recreation OWT/bh BaaoPaLE COMPLEX A DIVISION OF BANGOR PARKS A RECREATION DEPT WIL ]19 - 100 DOTTON sTRAer-B.tNI MANE W90l 09 ww a TEGBPXONE 80]1992.9000 CIVIC CENTER • BANGOR STATE Al A BANGOR RACEWAY MINUTES BASS PARK COMMITTEE BANGOR CITY HALL FEBRUARY 21, 1990 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Sosnand at 4:08 PM. Present were. Jeff Sosnaud, Gerard Baldacci, Patricia Blanchette, Mary Sullivan, Jane Saxl, Ed Barrett, Dale Theriault and Dean Butler. 1. 1990 Racinq Dates Mr. Theriault introduced Mitchell Gallant, President of Downeast Harness Horsemen's Association, who was requesting earlier weekend dates for racing in May. The dates established by the Maine Harness Racing Commission are for fifty days beginning May 18 and ending July 27. Mr. Gallant stated that he thought Bangor would request a 60 -day meet if the 72 -day meet was rejected by the Racing Commission. Mrs. Sullivan said that she assumed the same thing. Mr. Barrett noted that it was his understanding that if the 72 -day request which was to start on May 18 was turned down, then the 50 -day meet starting on May 18 would be requested. Mr. Gallant then stated that the Downeast Harness Horsemen's Associa- tion was requesting additional three-day weekend dates (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to start the first weekend in May. The Council then heard from members of the audience --both those for additional dates and those opposed. Concerns expressed by those opposing additional dates included: --bright lights flooding the neighborhood , --sounds from PA system --traffic (horse trailers) through the neighborhood odors --dust --taxpayers are supporting Base Park --season is now long enough --possibility of rats at Park A PAGE 2 Concerns expressed by those for additional dates --need all racing dates possible for Bangor --need more money for repair of facilities --if racing ends, Bass Park may become a shopping mall --racing profitable to the a --weekend c eekend r ing is profitable --closing of Lewiston will be a boom to Bangor Mitch Gallant stated that horsemen will enforce "No Left Turn" Onto Buck Street. Mrs. Sullivan asked if an ordinance might be passed regarding "No Left Turn". The committee decided to place it on the agenda of the Municipal Operations Committee scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 28. The staff will check with the representative from MUSCO Lighting to see if the lights can be adjusted. The master control on the PA system will also be lowered if possible. The City Solicitor stated that the question of extending racing dates could be placed on the Council agenda for Monday evening, February 26, under a suspension of rules. It was moved and passed that this be done. 2. Season Pass Policy Mr. Theriault passed out a memo to him from Owen Butler showing a $3,000 reduction in season ticket sales for 1989 compared to the 1988 season. The staff had discussed the possibility of rending no seasona passes for the 1990 s The reason for the reduced a sales was that the price for the season pass had increased from $30.00 each to $15.00 for the 1989 season. No action was taken regarding season passes. 3. Pay-One-Pr`oe Staff recommended, upon the advice of Mr. Mulcahy of uptown Festivals, that the Pay -One -Price for the 1990 Bangor State Fair be increased from $5.00 per person t0 $6.00 per person. He stated that the smaller Pay -One -Price fairs were going to $5.00 this season and most of the larger fairs, Pay -One -Price tickets will be $6.000 The committee passed this recommendation. Mr. Sosnaud asked that the City Attorney be asked what authority the Bass Park Committee has for voting on items. Mitch Gallant requested that he be allowed to show a video that had been prepared on the conditions of Bass Park. PAGE 3 Mr. Sosnaud recommended that staff be shown first and to place n the March committee agenda the subject of what has been done at Bass Park and what needs to be done. The committee asked that the Cade Enforcement staff and the Bass Park staff check out the barns and present a financial estimate for repairs to the Council on Monday evening. The meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM. Respectfully submitted, Dale W. Theriault Director of Parks and Recreation DWT/bh