2005 National Report.qxd

ALABAMA
Birmingham Race Course
Exit 31 off I-459
Birmingham, AL 35210
Mobile Greyhound Park
7101 Old Pascagoula Road
Theodore, AL 36590
Victoryland
8680 County Road 40
Shorter, AL 36075
ARIZONA
Phoenix Greyhound Park
3801 East Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Tucson Greyhound Park
2601 South 3rd Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85713
ARKANSAS
Southland Greyhound Park
1550 North Ingram Boulevard
West Memphis, AR 72301
COLORADO
Cloverleaf Kennel Club
2527 NW Frontage Road
Loveland, CO 80538
Mile High Racing & Entertainment
6200 Dahlia Street
Commerce City, CO 80022
FLORIDA
Daytona Beach Kennel Club, Inc.
2201 International Speedway Boulevard
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Derby Lane
10490 Gandy Boulevard
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Ebro Greyhound Park
6558 Dog Track Road
Ebro, FL 32437
Flagler Greyhound Park
401 North West 38th Court
Miami, FL 33126
Jacksonville Kennel Club, Inc.
1440 North McDuff Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32254
Mardi Gras Racetrack & Gaming Center
841 North Federal Highway
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
Melbourne Greyhound Park
1100 North Wickham Road
Melbourne, FL 32935
Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track
10601 Bonita Beach Road Southwest
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Orange Park Kennel Club
455 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Palm Beach Kennel Club
1111 North Congress Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
Pensacola Greyhound Track
951 Dogtrack Road
Pensacola, FL 42506
Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club, Inc.
301 Dog Track Road
Longwood, FL 32750
Sarasota Kennel Club
5400 Bradenton Road
Sarasota, FL 34234
St. Johns Greyhound Park
6322 Race Track Road
Jacksonville, FL 32259
Tampa Greyhound Track
8300 Nebraska Avenue
Tampa, FL 33604
IOWA
Bluffs Run Greyhound Park
2701 23rd Avenue
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
MASSACHUSETTS
Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park
1958 Broadway
Raynham, MA 02767
Wonderland Greyhound Park
190 V.F.W. Parkway
Revere, MA 02151
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Hinsdale Greyhound Park
Route 119
Hinsdale, NH 03451
Seabrook Greyhound Park
Route 107, New Zealand Road
Seabrook, NH 03874
RHODE ISLAND
Lincoln Park
1600 Louisquisset Pike
Lincoln, RI 02865
TEXAS
Corpus Christi Greyhound Race Track
5302 Leopard Street
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
Gulf Greyhound Park
1000 FM 2004
LaMarque, TX 77568
Valley Race Park
2601 South Ed Carey Drive
Harlingen, TX 78552
WEST VIRGINIA
Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center
1 Greyhound Drive
Cross Lanes, WV 25313
Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino
1855 Greyhound Park Drive
Dubuque, IA 52201
Wheeling Downs Racetrack and Gaming Center
1 South Stone Street
Wheeling Island
Wheeling, WV 26003
KANSAS
Wichita Greyhound Park
1500 East 77th Street
Valley Center, KS 67147
WISCONSIN
Dairyland Greyhound Park
1-94 at Highway 158
Kenosha, WI 53144
The Woodlands
9700 Leavenworth Road
Kansas City, KS 66109
CONTACTS
American Greyhound Track Operators Association
Dennis Bicsak
1111 N. Congress Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
(561) 688-5799
[email protected]
American Greyhound Council
National Greyhound Association
Gary Guccione
P.O. Box 543
Abilene, KS 67410
785-263-4600
[email protected]
Media Contact
Peggy Mackinnon
(303) 320-6082
[email protected]
AGTOA Member Tracks
2005
R e p o r t
AGTOA
t o
t h e
C o m m u n i t y
P re s i d e n t ’s m e ss a g e
The economies of local communities,
counties and states benefited
significantly in 2005 because of
the greyhound racing industry.
These tracks employed more
than 16,000 people and paid
more than $151 million in taxes.
In addition to the economic
benefits from racetracks,
greyhound breeders and
trainers boosted the economies
of many communities across the
U.S. through property taxes,
employment and the purchase of
goods and services. The industry
also supports the horse racing
industry through simulcast
wagering with greyhound racing
fans bettiing more than $772
million on horse races during
the year.
Expansion of gaming options at
pari-mutuel facilities is proving to
be beneficial to city, county and
state economies, generating
additional revenue to pay for
necessary goods and services
for the people who live there.
Licensed and regulated facilities
with an established record of
community support are ideal
facilities for gaming expansion.
In 2005 the voters in Broward
County, Florida and the State
of Arkansas passed legislation
permitting slot machines at
pari-mutuel facilities. As a result,
both Hollywood Greyhound Park
(now called Mardi Gras Racetrack
& Gaming Center) in Hallandale,
Fla. and Southland Greyhound
Park in West Memphis, Ark. will
be able to offer their patrons
the additional option of slot
machine wagering.
The health and well being of
greyhounds remains a top priority.
An ongoing challenge is kennel
cough, a disease that has resulted
in quarantines at many tracks
across the country. The industry
is committed to finding a vaccine
to eliminate this devastating
disease and is funding research
being conducted by Brad Fenwick,
DVM, Ph.D. vice president of
research at Virginia Tech.
Thanks to strong cooperation
between volunteer adoption
groups, kennel owners and track
operators, we are pleased to report
that more than 90 percent of all
registered greyhounds are being
placed in adoptive homes or
returned to the farm to breed
or as pets once their racing
careers have ended. Thousands
of volunteers and track employees
spend countless hours working to
find homes for retired greyhounds.
We cannot thank them enough for
their commitment to these gentle
dogs that make wonderful lifelong
companions for so many families.
Additional Revenue from
Other Gaming Activities
In addition to live greyhound
racing, most tracks offer simulcast
wagering on greyhounds, horses,
and in some cases, on jai-alai.
Some tracks now have card
rooms and slot machines. These
additional gaming activities have
generated millions of dollars of
additional revenue for cities,
counties and states.
Economic impact of
greyhound racing
The economic impact greyhound
racing has on local communities
and the states where it does
business is significant. Not only
does the industry pay millions
of dollars in taxes, it employs
thousands of people who
spend their wages in their
local communities, generating
additional economic benefit.
Economic Impact from
Breeders and Trainers
Greyhound breeding farms
and racing kennels also
provide economic support
to local communities by investing
more than $150 million in land,
buildings and equipment, and
purchasing goods and services of
approximately $96 million a year.
Richard Winning
President
The American Greyhound Track
Operators Association (AGTOA),
formed in April 1946, is a non-profit
corporation composed of the owners and
operators of greyhound tracks located
throughout the United States.
Employment
16,329 employees
$ 210,113,452 annual payroll
Taxes
$ 11,624,282 property tax
$
4,144,599 sales and use tax
$ 18,582,169 payroll tax
$ 11,798,094 corporate income tax
$ 44,311,917 pari-mutual tax
$
3,580,792 licenses and permits
$ 57,006,612 Other †
$ 151,048,465 Total 2005 taxes*
Purchasing $ 333,538,313 spent on vendors**
Purses
$ 103,873,945 paid in purses
10,000>
100,000>
1,000,000>
† Including taxes from other forms of wagering.
*Data from Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club based on 2003 information.
Data from Mardi Gras Racetrack & Gaming Center does not include all taxes paid.
**Does not include Tucson Greyhound Park and Mardi Gras Racetrack & Gaming Center.
10,000,000>
100,000,000>
500,000,000>
The Welfare of the
Racing Greyhound
Greyhound welfare is a top priority
for the industry from the time a pup
is born, throughout its racing career
and once it has retired. Accordingly,
the American Greyhound Track
Operators Association (AGTOA) has
adopted a Statement of Standards
and Principles that apply to all
member tracks.
American Greyhound
Track Operators Association
Statement of Standards
and Principles
We, as members of the American
Greyhound Track Operators
Association, have pledged ourselves
to the following standards and
principles to ensure the responsible
care and humane treatment of all
racing greyhounds:
• All greyhounds shall be housed
in comfortable, clean, safe and
well-ventilated kennels.
• All greyhounds shall receive
plentiful and healthful food
and water.
• All greyhounds shall be provided
appropriate exercise in clean, safe
turnout pens and sprint fields.
• All greyhounds shall be trained
using artificial lures.
• All greyhounds shall receive
prompt veterinary care.
• All racetrack surfaces shall be
groomed and maintained daily to
ensure the health and safety of
the racing greyhounds.
• All greyhounds shall be trained and
cared for by qualified, competent
and responsible personnel
according to established
animal welfare guidelines.
• All
tracks shall enact policies
and enforcement procedures
that include penalties for
violation of proper animal
welfare procedures.
• All member tracks shall require
that proper documentation be
filed with and approved by the
Racing Secretary and/or General
Manager of the track before any
greyhound may be removed
from track premises. The
documentation shall confirm
and verify that the greyhound
in question has been:
– Transferred to another
greyhound racetrack for
purposes of continued racing;
– Returned to the original owner
or breeding farm for pet or
breeding purposes; or
– Upon retirement, placed into
an in-house, local or nationally
recognized adoption program.
Through the American Greyhound
Council (AGC) the industry spent
more than $139,000 on programs
that address the care and treatment
of greyhounds at breeding farms
and while racing at the track.
Welfare programs include:
Farm Inspection Program:
Since 1992, when the industry
initiated a program to make
unannounced visits to breeding
farms to verify compliance with
welfare standards, 69 individuals
have been banned from racing due
to serious infractions. In 2005, one
individual lost his ability to register
greyhounds, effectively putting
him out of business.
Care of the Racing and
R e t i r e d G r e y h o u n d : The
industry is funding the second
edition of The Care of the Racing
Greyhound, a comprehensive
guide for trainers, breeders,
veterinarians and pet owners
written by Linda L Blythe, DVM,
Ph.D.; James R. Gannon, BVSc,
FACVSc and A. Morrie Craig, Ph.D.
The name of the second edition,
which will be released in 2007,
reflects more than 100 pages
of new information, including
additional information about
retired greyhounds.
The National Greyhound
Association (NGA) also has
established comprehensive
guidelines for greyhound care.
The guidelines include nutrition
and diet, exercise and
health management.
Greyhound Safety and Track
S u r f a c e M a i n t e n a n c e : The
AGTOA, in conjunction with Gulf
Greyhound Park and the Texas
Greyhound Association, sponsored
a greyhound safety and racing
surface seminar for track personnel.
Leading veterinarians presented
papers on everything from how
to detect injuries to factors that
impact performance of the racing
greyhound. The quality of the
racing surface is a major focus
of research and of the seminar.
“The trainers are very devoted and loyal to their dogs.
I cannot remember one incidence of a greyhound being
abused in the 29 years I’ve been involved with the
Jacksonville tracks.”
Dwight Nash, DVM
San Jose Beauclerc Animal Hospital
Jacksonville, FL
K e n n e l C o u g h V a c c i n e : Work
is ongoing in the development of a
vaccine to prevent kennel cough,
a disease that plagued the industry
for several years and has led to
track closings and quarantine.
The vaccine is being developed
under the direction of Brad
Fenwick, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM,
vice president of research,
Virginia Tech.
International Greyhound
R e s e a r c h D a t a b a s e : This
catalog of all of the worldwide
research involving greyhounds
is critical to veterinarians involved
in treating greyhounds. Each year
the AGC provides funding to keep
information up-to-date on its
Web site www.agcouncil.com.
Dewey Beach Educational
P r o g r a m : In order to provide
greyhound pet owners with
up-to-date information on the
best way to care for the health
and well-being of their pets, the
industry sponsored speakers,
including veterinarians and
animal behaviorists, at a large
gathering in Dewey Beach, Del.
of people who have adopted
retired greyhounds.
Greyhound Health Research
and Information Network
( G H R I N ) : The industry spent
nearly $25,000 to maintain a
Web-based hot-line www.ghrin.org,
developed and managed by
Dr. Fenwick. It is designed to make
sure that when disease outbreaks
occur at racetracks, the community
response is based on accurate
facts and sound science. It also
offers general information on
greyhound health and serves as a
forum to address frequently asked
questions about pet greyhounds.
Canine Sports Medicine
S y m p o s i u m : This symposium,
which brings together leading
veterinarians specializing in
greyhound care, is sponsored
by the industry. It provides
veterinarians the opportunity to
share their knowledge and develop
new methods of treating and
caring for racing and retired
greyhounds. In 2005, the industry
invited those attending the event
to visit the kennels at Derby Lane.
Veterinarians were able to interact
with kennel operators and learn
more about the daily life of a
racing greyhound.
Finding Homes
for Retired Racers
Tra c k -S p o n s o re d A d o p t i o n
P r o g r a m s : Track operators
spent more than $2.2 million on
their own on-site programs. Many
of the racetracks sponsor reunions
at their facilities for people who
have adopted greyhounds.
These reunions are both social
and educational, and provide
an excellent venue for people
interested in adopting a greyhound
to learn more about the breed.
In order to achieve the goal of
placing every adoptable greyhound
in a home as a pet, greyhound
racetracks sponsor their own
adoption programs as well as
support independent non-profit
groups, such as Greyhound Pets
of America (GPA), the largest
non-profit group. During the year,
the greyhound racing industry
contributed more than $2.3 million
to support greyhound adoption
activities including:
Grants to Adoption Groups:
During the year, the industry gave
grants to 53 non-profit adoption
groups to assist them in caring
for or placing retired greyhounds
as pets. Derby Lane and the
greyhound industry also arranged
for members of GPA to visit their
kennels in conjunction with their
annual meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla.
P e t A d o p t i o n L i n e : The
industry funds a toll-free number
that is manned by volunteers from
GPA. People interested in adopting
a greyhound, or seeking more
information about greyhound
adoption, are encouraged to
call 1-800-466-1GPA.
T r a i l e r : In emergencies, the
industry provides a dog trailer to
transport greyhounds available for
adoption to non-profit adoption
groups around the country.
“Grant money from the AGC was used to complete our
kennel and to assist us in transporting greyhounds to
states where adoptive homes were more plentiful. The
AGC has endorsed greyhound adoption and puts its
money where its mouth is.”
Promotion of Greyhound
A d o p t i o n : The industry works
with greyhound adoption groups
and the media to increase the
visibility of what wonderful pets
greyhounds make. This includes
distributing news releases and
placing stories in newspapers,
magazines and on television.
Teddy Palmer
Halfway Home Greyhound Adoption
Tulsa, OK
“People think greyhounds are hyper, but they are
the sleepiest animals I’ve ever seen. They get along
with everyone.”
Bob Snodgras
Greyhound owner and corporate sponsor
of greyhound adoption
Jacksonville, FL
“What makes a greyhound a special pet?
With their speed and grace they take your breath
away. With their love and loyalty, they are in
your heart to stay.”
Becky & Tim Tickel
Greyhound owner
St. Petersburg, FL
Giving Back to the
Community
The greyhound racing industry
believes it is important to play a
leadership role in the communities
in which it does business. In 2005
more than 1,300 charities received
contributions of nearly $19 million
from greyhound racetracks. In
addition, many track personnel
donate their time and expertise.
Louise Weaver, assistant vice president Derby
Lane, receives a plaque from chancellor Karen A.
White, University of South Florida to
commemorate the dedication of the Derby Lane
Library in recognition of the contributions to the
University by the St. Petersburg Kennel Club.
The National Greyhound Association (NGA),
a voluntary non-profit association,
is recognized by the greyhound racing
industry as the sole registry for
racing greyhounds on the
North American continent.
The American Greyhound Council (AGC)
a joint effort of the AGTOA and NGA, was
formed in 1987 to administer greyhound
welfare programs. It develops, funds and
oversees programs to ensure the welfare
of greyhounds on the farm, at the track
and upon retirement.