About $1 million worth of renovations to Pimlico Race Course, including demolition of several of the decrepit wooden barns on the Hayward Avenue side of the track, are planned to begin immediately now that the stable area has been cleared of horses for the winter.
Most animals had been moved to Laurel Park, the Bowie Training Center or to area farms by yesterday and won't be allowed back into Pimlico until the stable area reopens in March. The grandstand, however, is staying open for daily simulcasts except on Mondays.
Jim Peterson, the Maryland Jockey Club's chief financial officer, said "we'll take down 100 stalls and replace them stall for stall with two new barns on the Pimlico Road side of the track."
It costs about $5,000 per stall to build new barns. Peterson said construction of the new stables will begin after the first of the year and will be ready for occupancy when Pimlico reopens in the spring.
"We won't tear all the old barns down right now because each stall has to be replaced, and we're working on a limited budget," Peterson said.
The leveled barns will be replaced with parking lots. "Eventually, we'll build a park and a new paddock in this area behind the grandstand, but we don't have enough time or money to do it this year," Peterson said.
The main aesthetic improvement will be stripping and replacing the dreary gray exterior of the grandstand with a new, uniform facade, giving the building a much-needed fresh look. "We'll take off the existing metal skin and replace it with a uniform skin made of all the same material," Peterson said. "People are bidding on that project now."
Inside the building, simulcast areas, similar to the ones recently arranged at Laurel, will be installed.
John J. Mooney dies
John James Mooney, a former president and general manager of Laurel Race Course and father of current Laurel/Pimlico GM John E. Mooney, died suddenly on Saturday afternoon near Toronto.
Mooney, 70, was leaving Woodbine Race Course when he apparently suffered a massive heart attack in his car. The car went off the road and hit a pole, according to his son, John E. Mooney. Mooney was pronounced dead at the scene.
Viewings will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Frank Lynett funeral establishment in Toronto. A mass and burial will take place on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Gabriel's Church in Willowdale, Ontario.
During his career, Mooney was also a longtime president of the Ontario Jockey Club during the stewardship of E. P. Taylor and also served as president of Arlington Park in Chicago. He was the recipient of numerous awards in the racing industry.
Three of his seven children are involved in racing. In addition to John E. Mooney, one son, Mike Mooney, is director of media relations at Hollywood and Santa Anita Parks and another son, Danny Mooney, is president and general manager of Huntington Stud Farm in Canada.
PIMLICO PROJECT
Highlights of the proposed $1 million of renovations for Pimlico Race Course:
* Demolition of several old wooden barns on the Hayward Ave. side of the track. Total removal: 100 stalls.
* Rebuilding the 100 stalls by constructing two new barns on the Pimlico Road side of the track.
* Re-skinning the exterior of the grandstand and clubhouse with new uniform, color-coordinated siding.
* Redesigning the interior television system and re-grouping of simulcast areas.