When a thoroughbred horse breaks down during a race, the animal is put to sleep. But when a racetrack breaks down, the solution isn't as swift or sure.
Such is the case with Charles Town racetrack. This half-mile track in the West Virginia panhandle, 25 miles west of Frederick, has lost $1 million this year. Competition for gambling dollars has become so fierce that the small track couldn't keep operating.
The shutdown after Sunday's racing card means that hundreds of backstretch workers will be out of jobs. So will others connected with the track, which is the only major industry left in this town of 3,100 near Harpers Ferry. Three years ago, Dixie-Narco, a maker of soft-drink vending machines, pulled up stakes and relocated to South Carolina, leaving 1,000 people jobless.
Track owners had pinned their hopes on introducing slot machines as a way to create profits and sufficient revenue to lure higher-quality horses -- and more bettors. But the slots referendum in Jefferson County lost by 4,412-3,874. Residents were fearful that slots would alter the quality of life in Charles Town and would lead inevitably to full-fledged casino gambling.
Yet there is still a chance that the 61-year-old Charles Town racetrack could reopen some day. If a deep-pockets investor can be found, the track could offer improved racing and lure back some former customers. One trick is aggressive marketing in the Baltimore and Washington regions. A second is finding ways to draw a younger audience and finding other compatible uses for the facility. Location could work in Charles Town's favor in that it is a pleasant and at times scenic drive to the track from Baltimore.
A further plus is that Charles Town could benefit from the opening of Patriot Downs outside Richmond, in a few years. That mile-track will be part of a major-league Virginia-Maryland circuit in which there would be no live racing at Laurel and Pimlico during the summer months. If Charles Town is operating at that time, many enthusiasts would likely transfer their allegiances to West Virginia in the hot weather.
Horse racing is going through troubling times. It is especially tough for a small track like Charles Town. Just as in any business, the small-time entrepeneur has to be smarter, quicker and more creative to compete with the big boys and turn a profit. Can it be done? Yes, indeed. And it doesn't require the introduction of slot machines to make a race track prosper, either.