Suffolk Downs (1935-2014)

Suffolk Downs is Put Out to Pasture.  (The New York Times, 10/6/2014)

No legs to stand on its own.

“As a sporting product, horse racing still does very well on its biggest days, but as a day-to-day gambling product, it has not measured up with the expansion of casino gaming,” said Chip Tuttle, the chief operations officer of Suffolk Downs, who said the track has not been profitable for nearly a decade. 

Mr. Tuttle hoped the track’s lifeline would come in the form of Massachusetts’ own expanded gambling law, which allowed for three resort-style casinos in the state, one of which will be in the Boston area. Mohegan Sun, the behemoth casino in Connecticut, offered a proposal on the Suffolk Downs grounds that would keep the track in business, but state officials passed it over in favor of a bid by Wynn Resorts in nearby Everett.

Suffolk Downs history

• Still Making History (Massachusetts legalized pari-mutuel betting in 1934 by created the State Racing Commission)
• Out of the Gate  (opened July 10, 1935; 35,000 attendance)
• Changing with the Times  (grandstand enclosed in early 1960s; the Beatles performed here in 1966)
• Beyond the Track  (reintroduction of concerts in late 1990s)
• Taking the Lead  

Suffolk Downs has undergone many changes over the years, but just as it was in 1935, it remains a vision of hope for a brighter future infused with the pilgrim spirit of hope, pride, and determination that it was built upon.

Time for a revision.