Report: Live-racing permit for Arizona Downs is rejected

Arizona Downs’s live-racing permit was revoked by the state’s racing commission Tuesday.

The vote affirmed a ruling by an administrative law judge, according to Paulick Report, and came during a special meeting.

The financially troubled Arizona Downs did not seek racing dates for 2023, according to the report, but planned to hold a meet in May 2024.

The Arizona Division of Racing notified the track in May that it intended to revoke the permit because of the financial problems, according to the report. The track’s ownership appealed, and the next step was for the state’s office of administrative hearings to review the case.

Findings issued by the judge in November showed that the track owed $180,000 to horsemen and real estate taxes of $671,000, according to the report. Some of its tax liability was paid by another entity.

Arizona Downs co-owner David Auther told the judge and the commission that he had a potential opportunity to lease the track for a harness meet but that the commission did not approve license applications for the meet, according to the report.

The judge also found that The Stronach Group was interested in buying Arizona Downs this year, according to the report, but didn’t because of “regulatory issues and the climate at the racing commission.”