Then, during the fall of 1996, voters approved video lottery machines at Charles Town. The track's future was in serious doubt, and many observers feared the facility would close for good. ĭuring the 1990s, purses fell, leading to dwindling attendance and fewer high-caliber horses. In 1983, Rapid-American sold the Charles Town track to a group of local businesspersons for approximately $12 million. Shenandoah Corporation was acquired in 1977 by Kenton Corporation, which then merged with Rapid-American Corporation in 1981. After the closure of Shenandoah Downs in 1975, year-round racing was moved to Charles Town. Shenandoah Corporation also owned Shenandoah Downs, which was Charles Town Races only competitor. Shenandoah Corporation purchased the track in 1971 for $6 million. Kennedy during his campaign for Presidency. Edgar Hoover, who was a regular visitor, and John F. The facility attracted many notable guests, including J. Train service from Baltimore boosted attendance, and the track continued to thrive through World War II. Even with freezing temperatures and odds being calculated by slide rule, the grandstand overflowed. The developers believed that it would draw large crowds due to it being the only northern track to hold races during the winter season, and they were right. The facility, located on the former grounds of the Charles Town Horse Show, was constructed in two months at a cost of $160,000 (a huge sum during the height of the Great Depression). It became America's first winter race meet upon its opening. It was developed and operated by the Shenandoah Valley Jockey Club, led by Joseph Boyle. It was the first horse track to open in West Virginia, following the legalization of parimutuel wagering earlier in the year. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is a casino, hotel and thoroughbred horse racing complex located in Charles Town, West Virginia, 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Washington D.C. ( August 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)ħ50 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414įinal Cut Steakhouse, 9 Dragons, Barstool Sportsbook, The Eatery Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting, such as reFill ( documentation) and Citation bot ( documentation). Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style. This article uses bare URLs, which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot.

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