James Watson

A conceptual site plan newly submitted to the city of Phoenix for the proposed industrial development at Turf Paradise calls for the closure of the track once the under-agreement sale goes forward and development begins. But the incoming owner is still floating the idea of resuming racing at the 67-year-old Thoroughbred venue in the future if historical horse race gaming gets legalized in Arizona. Audrey Jensen of the Phoenix Business Journal first reported Aug. 8 on the new details about the project, which has been named Winner's Circle Business Park....

The current ownership that is selling at Turf Paradise in Phoenix won't be opening the track in November as planned for its 2023-24 race meet. But horsemen are holding out hope that the incoming ownership will be able and willing to operate the remainder of the scheduled season from January through May 4 if the real estate deal closes as expected by mid-December. Turf Paradise management issued a statement via Facebook Tuesday afternoon confirming the decision. Also on Tuesday, an email message reportedly sent to Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective...

Turf Paradise in Phoenix is reportedly in the due-diligence phase of negotiations to be sold for development. Racing is expected to continue only as a placeholder for several more seasons while new uses for the 67-year-old venue go through the planning, approval and construction stages. The incoming owner of Arizona's primary commercial Thoroughbred track is expected to transition the property in pieces to "industrial and multi-family uses," according to the online media outlet Axios Phoenix, which first broke the story Apr. 12. Leroy Gessmann, the executive director of the Arizona...