I sent pictures to people back home and told them about where I'd just been. It's so massive that it was impossible to know where the other person was. "Phoenix Trotting Park was built in 1964 and opened in 1965. Also large industrial complexes are my specialty and have been to all 50 states and Canada.Much enjoyed your Titan I photos (have you seen the two TITAN I complexes in Eastern Washington? The town became a city in 1985. Have added a whole new section of almost 50 images including vintage advertisements and rare construction photos to the Photo Gallery page. The Arizona Republic, pp 13. Glad you're enjoying the site. Thank you. Some require great effort to seek out, but others are hiding right under our noses in plain sight. 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? One example of this shifting interest can arguably be seen in the abandoned horse race track known . No occupancy. (10 Oct 2011). SEP 27, 2017 - AZFAMILY - RAW VIDEO: Aerial view of Goodyear horse trotting park demolition Haven't made it in yet! Senator John J. Dunnigan on Feb. 22, 1934, Trotters at the Buffalo Raceway on May 25, 1974, Re-creation of the Phoenix Trotting Park logo, Phoenix Trotting Park under construction in 1964. 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 . I was extremely amused by this piece of graffiti. SEP 27, 2017 - AZCENTRAL - What is the fate of the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear? Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises/E.L. 21 TwiMet. 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 Be sure to stay out of view of the trailer park to the south. The main building of the park was used in the 1998 Charlie/Martin Sheen movie No Code of Conduct. Really great site, Jim!Sadly, they are tearing the Trotting Park down soon. This included hosting the "Grand Circuit" from March 15-20, 1965. John J. Dunnigan. Visit the videos page to watch the clip. In 1995, Grand Canyon University sold the 224-acre track to local developer Ray Roles for $2 million. 67, Issue 14. As the region lacked major roads from Phoenix to Goodyear, there was not enough business and the track closed two years later. Originally planned to be built for a cost of about $3 million, the facility ended up costing around $10 million. Part of the feature involved a large explosion occurring at the track. Things were off to a great start, but it wasn't long before the park's luck changed. It was here that he purchased a 640-acre parcel near Cotton Lane Road and McDowell Road for his new harness racing track, the Phoenix Trotting Park. The park is also located about 20 miles outside of Phoenix and was built long before any major roads made the area easily accessible to those in the city or its suburbs. A ghost town occurs because the economic activity that supported the town or city has failed due to natural or human-caused disasters such as a flood, government action, uncontrolled lawlessness, or war. I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. Next week's post will be about a couple of neat old abandoned houses in Dateland, AZ that I explored later that day. Jimmy Dunnigan knew racing and racetracks and his expertise attracted investors who wanted to see harness racing gain a foothold in Phoenix. The construction of the facility was undertaken as a joint venture by Gilbert & Dolan Enterprises and E.L. Farmer Construction Company, Inc.[3] Various incentives during the events that were held, such as free parking and admission did initially lead to decent attendance, including an opening day showing of 12,000 people. November 1, 2016 - I have added a new page of fan mail and letters from readers about the Trotting Park. 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. GOODYEAR, Ariz It was built 50 years too soon. Thank you, Valerie! Thank you to the College Times and 3TV/CBS5 for your interest in the story of the Trotting Park. (27 Mar 1994). The Phoenix Trotting Park was used as a filming location in the 1998 action movie "No Code of Conduct" starring Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen and directed by glam rocker Bret Michaels. Following the demolition of the grandstand in 2018, the seller has increased the asking price of the land by $7.5 million from the previous listing two years ago. Trotting Park was demolished for safety reasons, said Chaz Smith, senior vice president of Colliers International, which represents the Roles family and Citrus Commerce Centre LLC, the owners of the property. (27 Dec 1964). January 12, 2016 - The Trotting Park was the subject of a major story today in the Arizona Republic. Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord issued a statement about the property. Named the Goodyear Innovation Centre, plans have been approved by Goodyear City Council as of December 2020.[33]. The memory of this place lives on in our pictures, videos, and news stories. The land sold for $16.5 million to a New York-based developer called Keystone Equities LLC. Ezra Machuca of Buckeye was there September 28 to take pictures. Thank you, Tausha! She broke her arm and lost her shoes its always been something kids come and (do), of course its trespassing, but they come and check it out. Only the 55.47 acre "pit parcel" remains for sale at this time. Theres no shortage of abandoned places in Arizona. I'd read rumors of a squatter settlement in the basement and was determined to find out if there was any truth to it. What is the fate of the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear? From left, Daniela Ochoa, Eleazar Ayala and Mayeny Mendivil from Phoenix, Ariz., attend the Feria del Caballo Espaol on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at the Industry Hills Expo Center in the City of . Attendance was much lower than anticipated, partly due to competition from other well-established racing facilities in the area. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Ong Hing v. Arizona Harness Raceway, Inc. Arizona Rites Held for James Dunnigan; Was Founder of Buffalo Raceway, Goodyear's Horse Track Becomes 'White Elephant', Man Injured in Fall at Goodyear Trotting Park, The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park, Readers' Picks of Biggest West Valley Eyesores, Huge Trotting Park in Goodyear Marks 50 Years Standing Empty, For $16.5 Million, You Could Own the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear, The Old Phoenix Trotting Park Set for Demolition, All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona, Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park along I-10 in Goodyear set for demolition, Phoenix Trotting Park, an iconic horse-racing track, will be demolished, Abandoned Phoenix Trotting Park scheduled to be demolished in December, Goodyear Police Asking People to Stay Away from Trotting Park, Phoenix horse trotting park set for demolition Wednesday, RAW VIDEO: Aerial view of Goodyear horse trotting park demolition, Facebook Live Stream of trotting park demolition, Abandoned Phoenix Horse Trotting Park demolished in Goodyear. The industrial buildings are expected to begin going up in late summer or early fall. I tried to visit a couple weeks ago, but was told to leave by a local. The scraped site was re-listed for sale in Summer 2018 for $24 million dollars. Major demolition of the concrete structure began on Sept. 27 and it will take a few months to remove the 20,000 tons of rubble. "too damn far out" at least 20 miles from the center of Phoenix and that, at the time, there weren't any major roads connecting Phoenix and the track. (Nov 1964). [19] The park received a great deal of press coverage and was featured in Sports Illustrated magazine and in The New York Times. John J. Dunnigan was instrumental in passing the "Pari-mutuel Revenue Law" of 1940,[1] which effectively allowed people to bet on horse races in New York State. There were a number of daunting reasons for closing, like high operational expenses and flood hazards. I followed a stairway up to the roof and explored the sky box, where VIPs and announcers viewed the races. There has been a lot of trespassing on the property, active trespassing, and the numbers are pretty staggering, Smith said. The quality is comparable to that of a larger DSLR, but it's nice and compact, so I don't have to worry about carrying around cumbersome equipment while I'm exploring. It was visible from the I-10 and became a popular destination for urban exploration until security guards were installed at the property. 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. (14 Apr 1983). [24] Roles Inn of America owned the land upon which the Trotting Park sat for many years. It was built in 1964 for $9.5 million, more than $6 million over budget, to house spectators during harness races. It was built of reinforced concrete, and could . [35] Roles Inn of America company in the late 1990s. In this series, the nation's top 2-year-old and 3-year-old trotters and pacers compete. I don't know what happened, but my best guess is that something happened with the financing or with securing all of the necessary rights to the land. 19 Hoffman, Dean A. A year from now maybe people wont be going out there on the property, but its doubtful.. The Colossal Ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park . The Western New York Harness Racing Page. June 17, 2018 - With the Phoenix Trotting Park now demolished, the land has been listed again with Colliers, this time for $24 million. . And at his side, on the big brilliant bay horse, the smallish, black-bearded Welshman. Phoenix Trots Out A $9 Million Track With Spiral Curves. 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. West Valley View. Trucks which transport the mix to the site were equipped with water spray devices to cool the drums containing the concrete while they were being hauled to the point of use. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. How cool that your grandmother got to work there! Commercial Property Executive. Goodyear residents and leaders hoped for an entertainment destination where the iconic Phoenix Trotting Park once stood, but are more likely to see light industrial at the site off Interstate. I went a couple months ago and could have explored it for HOURS. He and a group of other investors successfully introduced night harness racing at a leased track in Los Alamitos. Until it was demolished in 2017 (huge bummer, we know), the Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear was in the latter category. It closed in 1966 and was eventually demolished in 2017. (14 Jan 2016). [21] The parking lot was used as an automotive swap meet called "AutoSwap USA" in 1991. (Nov-Dec 1956). Read full article: Phoenix Mixed-Use Project Takes a Giant Step. 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. http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2017/05/20/iconic-phoenix-trotting-park-along-interstate-10-goodyear-demolition/332552001/. Internet Movie Database. (22 Oct 2012). It's an obscure reference to a cartoon short by Don Hertzfeldt I'd seen years ago. 1. He was flying a drone into the demolition area after workers had left for the day. It was visible from the I-10 and became a popular destination for urban exploration until security guards were installed at the property. Phoenix Trotting Park History. Im sure a lot of people will be interested in seeing it up close, from the air, Machuca said. I agree; you can't be too careful. The park was demolished in 2017. The first season was scheduled to have 60 nights of racing. 5 Commencement Exercises (PDF). What is also obvious is that the track is located in high-visibility location, just a short distance from busy Interstate 10 which connects Phoenix with Los Angeles. Pigeons Echoing. The pre-cast pieces have a compressive strength of 6000-psi, approximately three times the normal strength of concrete used in more conventional buildings. The backstretch area now is the Cotton Lane RV and Mobile Home Park. In 1975 he was inducted into the Living Hall of Fame. 2. [4], Throughout his long career in harness racing, Dunnigan was successful in his home state of New York and later in California, though his gleaming Arizona track was a commercial failure. NOTE: Some sources do not include published dates. For its time, it was state of the art. This is the Phoenix Trotting Park - a huge complex in the United States that was built as a horse racing track in 1964. Roars the never were . SEP 27, 2017 - AZFAMILY - Facebook Live Stream of trotting park demolition Recent news reports about Trotting Park have brought a lot of focus to it, Smith said. 9 Phoenix Trotting Park Suspends Racing Indefinitely. 10 Arizona Rites Held for James Dunnigan. The 1960s were an era of unbridled optimism in harness racing. Still hard to believe that it's really gone. Their dog ambled about a bank of dwindling sand, trotting, sniffing on all sides. Tell us about them in the comments! We also explored and got some great pictures around there and out at Corn Springs, etc. These hollow, V-shaped girders measured 8 by 8 by 105 feet, and were considered "lightweight" at 120 tons. Please vote in our online survey and tell us which items you would like to see in a web store. This was one of the top 10 tracks in America, with multiple speed records set and broken there. thanks from all avid explorers!! Though closed in 1966, the 194-acre property had been continuously owned by either individuals or corporations/businesses. Date: 12.30.2010. The plan was to build a grandstand with a capacity of 5,400 spectators. I am also a huge fan of this site. The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s. I've been a couple times to just look at the outside. It was also insanely expensive to build. [15] Total construction time from the groundbreaking ceremony to the first race was less than 12 months. 2. It has to be one of the most amazing places to explore in az that I know about! (10 Mar 2021). He also served as president pro tempore of the New York State Senate from 1933 through 1938.[1]. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. Indeed! Demolition of the Phoenix Trotting Park , a massive, abandoned horse-racing track near Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear, began Wednesday morning. Black Canyon City Greyhound Park. Founded as a silver mining town in 1863, this is considered a living ghost town since the area still holds a population of 352. Mary Beck, 26, of Goodyear knows people who have trespassed on the property. - Arizona Republic, Sep 27, 2017 - Demolition of massive Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear begins - Arizona Republic, Sep 27, 2017 - 1965 article sheds light on what the Phoenix Trotting Park used to be - AZ Family 3TV / CBS 5, Oct 10, 2017 - Demolition Under Way on Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park - Construction Equipment Guide, Oct 17, 2017 - Ghostly Track Meets Its Unmaker - Arizona Contractor & Community Magazine, Mar 21, 2005 - Phoenix Trotting Park by Trevorland - UER The Urban Exploration Resource, Oct 11, 2005 - Phoenix Trotting Park - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Jul 19, 2006 - Movie Review: No Code of Conduct - ahafilm.info (via Internet Archive), Nov 17, 2006 - Phoenix Trotting Park: A Photo Essay - by Phil Donohue, The Itinerant, Mar 19, 2009 - Phoenix Trotting Park; concrete ruins - by Joel Contreras, ModernPhoenix.net, Dec 23, 2010 - Phoenix Trotting Park - by GhostTownAZ, May 16, 2011 - Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear by Benjamin Leatherman, Phoenix New Times, Jul 11, 2013 - The Ghost Racetrack of Goodyear, Arizona by David Roth, SBNation.com, Nov 2013 - Phoenix Trottng Park - by: reneelounsbury, Atlas Obscura, Sep 3, 2015 - The Colossal Ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park - by: Jim Sullivan, Places That Were, Mar 24, 2016 - Urban Exploration: Phoenix Trotting Park - by: Taush.O. 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