The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition, a group of leading business and civic leaders dedicated to bringing first-class horse racing to Georgia, has unveiled plans for a ground-breaking mixed-use racetrack development designed by Populous, a global architecture and urban planning firm known for revolutionary entertainment and sports designs.
“Our vision has always been for more than just a racetrack in Georgia,” said Dean Reeves, Coalition president and owner of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man. “Our goal is to reinvent horse racing by combining a racetrack with a mixed-use development and park to create the ultimate fan experience at no expense to taxpayers. If horse racing is approved by voters, Georgia would become the home of a state-of-the-art track that is just as innovative as the new facilities for the Falcons and Braves.”
Populous, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has designed more than 2,000 projects worth $30 billion, including horse racetracks on five continents. The firm is dedicated to creating environments that draw people and communities together for unforgettable experiences. Populous projects include the Braves’ new Sun Trust Park in Atlanta, Ascot Racecourse in the UK, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Yankee Stadium and many others in the world’s top cities and on more than 120 university campuses.
“What makes this design so unique is that on race days, the Georgia facility is a fully activated, high-tech experience connecting fans and racing like no other race track in the world, but on non-race days the park is a destination for concerts, festivals, dining, shopping, public events and other activities,” added Reeves.
“Our hope is that Georgia voters understand that no taxpayer dollars will be needed to build a track and more than 5,000 jobs will be created through this development, and they will urge their legislators to support our bill to bring horse racing to Georgia,” said Jack Damico, Coalition vice-president and managing partner of the Posse Racing Stable. “This will be a year-round facility that Georgians will be proud of.”
If horse racing is approved by voters, construction of the track would begin immediately and would be expected to take two years. A site for the facility has yet to be determined.
The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition is a non-profit 501 C (6) organization whose mission is to educate Georgians about the value of the great American sport of horse racing and what it will bring to our state by generating jobs, tax revenues for Hope scholarship and tourism. The Coalition is working with state leaders to pass legislation allowing pari-mutuel wagering in Georgia in order to encourage and support a statewide racing industry. Learn more at www.gahorseracing.org.
This would be a welcome addition to Georgia. Why should horse racing be only in Kentucky and Florida? These horse vans drive through Georgia all year long; we got the movie industry to come here by offering tax incentives; look at the millions of dollars in revenue that is generating for our state! Come on people! Wake up!