Demolition begins on Arizona horse racing track

Demolition of Phoenix Trotting Park, an abandoned horse racing track in Goodyear, Arizona, recently began, a report by azcentral.com says. The 194-acre property was vacant for 51 years before demolition.

The grandstand is expected to be leveled within three or four days and 20,000 tons of concrete rubble will be removed in three months, the report says. BCS Enterprises Inc., Gilbert, Arizona, is working to demolish the site.
BCS crews are using a Rusch Triple 34-25 machine that weighs more than 300 tons to tear down the grandstand, the report says.

Spray Systems Environmental, Tempe, Arizona, removed asbestos from the site over the last three months.

The property is owned by Citrus Commerce Center LLC, Phoenix. According to the report, the company decided to tear the building down because of safety concerns. Citrus Commerce listed the property in December 2015 for $16.5 million, but the deal fell through. According to the report, meetings will be held with the owners in late December or early January to discuss the future of the property.

James Dunnigan, a horse racing enthusiast, opened the tracked in 1965, which housed 1,500 seats and the glass-enclosed grandstand, the report says. It operated for two seasons before shutting down in 1966 due to occasional flooding that closed the road to the track and a lack of bettors.