1 John J. Dunnigan. View the listing here: Phoenix Trotting Park by Colliers International (link no longer valid). Please be respectful of the No Trespassing signs posted around the building. The hulking race track has stood. This 73-Mile Arizona Scenic Drive Winds Through An Abandoned Village And Ancient Volcano, The Boneyard In Arizona Is The Resting Place For More Than 4,000 Abandoned Airplanes, This Eerie And Fantastic Footage Takes You Inside Arizonas Abandoned Train Graveyard, Take A Memorable Hike To The Abandoned Verde Hot Springs Resort In Arizona, It Doesnt Get Much Creepier Than This Abandoned Town Hidden in Arizona, This Abandoned Ghost Town In Arizona Was Once A Quintessential Wild West Town, 7 Eerie, Abandoned Places In Arizona That May Make Your Hair Stand On End, Most People Have No Idea This Abandoned Mining Town In Arizona Even Exists. (21 Sep 2006). With a prime location at the I-10 and Loop 303 interchange, it is only a matter of time before someone decides to acquire the site. Jimmy Dunnigan knew racing and racetracks and his expertise attracted investors who wanted to see harness racing gain a foothold in Phoenix. There were also thousands of bats as well. Find Phoenix Trotting Park stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. June 30, 2017 - Huge photo update! Ezra Machuca of Buckeye was there September 28 to take pictures. http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2017/05/20/iconic-phoenix-trotting-park-along-interstate-10-goodyear-demolition/332552001/. Sale of W.V. Only time will tell what happens to the land where Trotting Park stood, but one thing is for sure: t will be missed by many. Temp: 33. MAY 17, 2017 - AZFAMILY - The old Phoenix Trotting Park set for demolition (video) Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Still hard to believe that it's really gone. The grandstand of Phoenix Trotting Park is enormous. This article originally appeared in the March 28, 2014 issue of Harness Racing Update Newsletter (PDF). Very informative and I can't wait to go see some of these places as well. (www.taushpointo.com) taushawierlo@gmail.com. (10 Aug 2016). Ground Floor - Bar, Snack Stand, Betting Windows, Food Prep areas The Short Life and Long Death of Phoenix Trotting Park. It closed in 1966 and was eventually demolished in 2017. And glad to hear you got a chance to see Phoenix Trotting Park. Warner Bros. The main building of the park was used in the 1998 Charlie/Martin Sheen movie No Code of Conduct. A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. Their dog ambled about a bank of dwindling sand, trotting, sniffing on all sides. 3 John J. Dunnigan Is Dead at 82. MAY 17, 2017 - WEST VALLEY VIEW - Demolition Zone Ahead. The town became a city in 1985. It's an obscure reference to a cartoon short by Don Hertzfeldt I'd seen years ago. Man Injured in Fall at Goodyear Trotting Park. 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. )Trotting Park is really a trip( enjoyed your great photos! So you only use the Sony RX100M3 camera for all your photos? 35 Padgett, Mike. Until that is finished, there are no plans to do anything with the property. [22], Around August 1993, Delaware North company gifted the Trotting Park to local Baptist college Grand Canyon University. The University renamed the facility "'Lopes Canyon Ranch" after the school's athletic mascot, the Antelopes. The Buffalo Raceway opened in June of 1942 in Hamburg, New York[8]. It was visible from the I-10 and became a popular destination for urban exploration until security guards were installed at the property. At the time of this writing, there are approximately 300 known and recorded ghost towns in Arizona. Thank you for following my adventures! The hulking race track has stood abandoned for 51 years, an eyesore to some and iconic to others, but a landmark to many traveling the interstate to and from California. Ivy Walls and Horse Stalls. (15 Nov 1991). The half-mile track was a success right from the start, and flourished under the management of James J. Dunnigan, who served as the president for 25 years. (27 Dec 1964). Following the closure, the name was changed to Arizona Equestrian Center. Hi Jim, I too have enjoyed your photography work, you have a great eye and the information you provide on the subject matter. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. Check them out on the Photo Gallery page. He purchased a huge plot of land from Karl and Norbert Abel[15], who owned vast amounts of land in the area. Also added a few new letters from readers. From the roof I enjoyed some great views of different sections of the structure. Next week's post will be about a couple of neat old abandoned houses in Dateland, AZ that I explored later that day. Because of its highly visible location from the Interstate highway, the Trotting Park had unfortunately become an attractive nuisance for vandals, scrappers, and graffiti artists. In June of 1942, James helped found the Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg, New York[8]. About 45 minutes before I left, I heard the loud echoing of someone else exploring the place. Originally planned to be built for a cost of about $3 million, the facility ended up costing around $10 million. May 18, 2017 - Two more great news stories in the news today about the Trotting Park. awesome work! The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. 23 Goodyear Trotting Park Receives Interest. 13 Phoenix, Arizona Demographics. Fourth Level - Dining Platforms, Main Seating, Cashier Counters, Executive Office, Conference Room I really wish somebody could have done something with it instead of just tearing it down, he said. November 1, 2016 - I have added a new page of fan mail and letters from readers about the Trotting Park. Sitemap | Privacy Policy |   Contact Us, Valley 101 Explores the History of the Phoenix Trotting Park, Phoenix Mixed-Use Project Takes a Giant Step, Demolition Under Way on Iconic Phoenix Trotting Park, Demolition of massive Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear begins. Very nice series of photos--I imagine it's really incredible to be there in person.Where are you off to next? Follow us @PHXTrottingPark. Chris Randall/Flickr. Thanks for any info! [23] They built the Cotton Lane RV Resort on the backstretch of the track. The track was listed for sale in January of 2016 for $16.5 million dollars for a 194-acre parcel. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing. Opened in 1965, it closed less than 2 years later. Their plans call for a mixed-use development of the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and entertainment in three phases. Berlin. After all, race tracks were The picture quality is amazing and looking for a new camera. "An Arizona sunset staged its daily extravaganza in the background and a misty blue haze hung low over the quiet desert growth," Flora wrote about the opening night vista. GOODYEAR, Ariz It was built 50 years too soon. thanks from all avid explorers!! Unknown magazine scan. The unnamed victim suffered a head injury after falling down an empty elevator shaft, and was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital for treatment, according to a West Valley View article. [17] The track was originally supposed to cost about $2 million, but the final cost ended up being a whopping $9.5 million. The pundits had perfect hindsight, of course. It feels like ages since I was there. This legitimized the sport, which was once dominated by bookmakers ("bookies") at the turn of the century. West Valley View. 28 Gullickson, Glenn. Assuredly no one is going to salvage the old track and bring back racing. Some require great effort to seek out, but others are hiding right under our noses in plain sight. The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s. The Phoenix Trotting Park was built in 1964 under the vision of a man by the name of James Dunnigan. Phoenix Trotting Park was built on a grand scale, employing a European Architect who built a state of the art facility in 1966. May 17, 2017 - Very sad to report that the Trotting Park is in the beginning stages of demolition, starting with asbestos removal. Thanks for sending it in. The colossal ruins of Phoenix Trotting Park sit in the middle of a barren expanse of land just off I-10. Phoenix, Dunnigan pointed out, can only expand to the west, where his track is located, and he is counting heavily on the Goodyear . He did get permission before flying there. You've probably driven past this town on your way to Las Vegas. The hot weather of the desert caused events to be uncomfortable to attendees. You and your brother are going to have an awesome time exploring Phoenix Trotting Park. [13] The track was located far outside city limits, where roads were mostly unimproved dirt. Recent news reports about Trotting Park have brought a lot of focus to it, Smith said. Also, look for a mention of the Trotting Park on Page 6 of the May 18-June 22 issue of the College Times, found on college campuses throughout the Valley. The massive structure consists of more than 27,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete. Welcome to the Desert Botanical Garden Gift Shop, we have the best gifts & souvenirs in Phoenix! Harness Racing Update. Aug 12, 2016 - The Phoenix Trotting Park, a horse racing track, was originally built in 1964 in Goodyear, Arizona. Phoenix Trotting Park is on the market for $16.5 million. It was such a thrill and an amazing high. 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 inaugural card. No occupancy. So sad they have scheduled it for demolition; that makes this blog entry particularly valuable. Theres no shortage of abandoned places in Arizona. AIA Press. Demolition of the grandstand was announced in May 2017 [29], and commenced in September 2017. It will take approximately three months to move the estimated 20,000 tons of rubble away from the site. Over the years, the city has grown up around the Trotting Park, which sat idle and abandoned for more than 40 years. NOTE: Some sources do not include published dates. I guess you could sit back and wait for it to die down. Tell us about them in the comments! The picture quality is amazing and looking for a new camera. And with the exception of a brief use for a movie, the property had sat abandoned since its closure. [8] While the track seemed promising at first, a variety of factors caused it to close after only two and a half seasons,[9] leaving Dunnigan nearly bankrupt. The Phoenix Trotting Park the massive and long-abandoned horse-racing track along Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear will be demolished by the end of the year. Thanks, Sue! Photo by: Don Daniels of mi-harness.net, View Rare Photos of the Trotting Park During Construction. The Sun and the Erie County Independent. Please see the links below for media coverage of the start of the demolition process: SEP 27, 2017 - AZCENTRAL - Demolition of massive Phoenix Trotting Park in Goodyear begins Elevation: 1250 ft. Or do you use other cameras? (17 May 2017). A massive explosion scene at the end of the movie injured a number of pigeons who inhabited the grandstand. Recently started following your adventures, as we stayed at Desert Center for a month this winter. Hello and thanks for stopping by! Motorcycle Show Phoenix/Goodyear Trotter Park 1988- PART 1. Must have made it more expensive to build, find employees and run the endeavour. Read his Obituary and this article about his life (link no longer valid) from HarnessRacing.com. 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.[5]. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. Its kind of sad to see it go.. SEP 26, 2017 - AZFAMILY - Phoenix horse trotting park set for demolition Wednesday. Most of my explorations have been in the Rust Belt and the Southwest, but I desperately want to take a trip through the rest of the southern states. I've traveled through several of these places since I was a child and I've wondered about them myself! There were a number of daunting reasons for closing, like high operational expenses and flood hazards. He enjoyed politics and remained a member of the Senate and the Democratic party until his retirement in 1944. August 23, 2016 - Phoenix Trotting Park is in the news again, this time in The Arizona Republic. (27 Sep 2010). 0:00. The track changed hands again in 1990 when it was purchased by the Erie County Agricultural Society, who continues to operate it to this day. Winds light and variable.. Clear. Del Miller, Legendary Driver in the Sulky, Is Dead at 83. Plans for the track property are not known. [7][8], A close up view of a corner detail of a balcony. So glad you captured this. Soon the thrill was gone and the 50-acre parking lot was mostly empty. (10 Mar 2021). It featured a glass enclosed temperature controlled grandstand that could accommodate 15,000 fans. 44, No. The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s. This included hosting the "Grand Circuit" from March 15-20, 1965. He and a group of other investors successfully introduced night harness racing at a leased track in Los Alamitos. The scraped site was re-listed for sale in Summer 2018 for $24 million dollars. Check it out on the videos page. If you have additional information that may be useful, please Contact Me. - End of first season 1966 Season Early 1966 (?) Repeated calls to officials at the City of Goodyear were not returned. Secondly. March 18, 2017 - It appears that the sale of the Trotting Park fell through and was not finalized. Internet Movie Database. Search from Phoenix Trotting Park stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. I am also a huge fan of this site. The University of Notre Dame. Indeed! What is your camera of choice? Hopes and optimism ran high in 1965 when the Phoenix Trotting Park, a futuristically-designed harness racing track that opened in Goodyear, Arizona. It was also insanely expensive to build. GCU hosted a number of small rodeo events including the Junior Rodeo and the 1993 All-Arabian Horse Society Spring Show.[34]. [15] Construction began in 1964 on the massive structure, which contained more than 27,000 cubic yards of concrete. Machuca said he plans to post his pictures online. The land sold for $16.5 million to a New York-based developer called Keystone Equities LLC. Phoenix Trotting Park was not built with air conditioning, as it was never intended to be a year-round facility. In the early 1960s, Dunnigan envisioned a grand horseracing park on this remote tract of land in the . This remote tract of land just off I-10 that may be useful, please Contact.! `` bookies '' ) at the end of the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and commenced in September.... Structure, which was once dominated by bookmakers ( `` bookies '' ) the... Recorded ghost towns in Arizona editorial news pictures from Getty Images photo by: Daniels! 15-20, 1965 no Code of Conduct great views of different sections of the Park was built on Grand... The 1960s of the track was listed for sale in January of 2016 $. Die down tons of rubble away from the site including industrial, commercial/retail, and entertainment in phases... 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