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Bay Meadows nears finish line
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A group that fought to save the racetrack has announced that it cannot afford to continue its battle in state court.
On Tuesday, an organization that had been trying to stop the track’s demolition and development of a condo complex announced it had given up fighting the issue in state court.
Linda Schinkel, coordinator of Friends of Bay Meadows, said that after an expensive two-year legal battle, the organization could not afford to appeal a state court’s decision that ended their campaign to put the racetrack’s future to a public vote. Though the legal battle was dropped, Schinkel said the organization has not given up fighting the development. She said they’d still like a new environmental impact report.
In 2005, the group gathered more than 5,500 signatures supporting a referendum on the proposed development by the Bay Meadows Land Co. That would have been enough petitioners to make the ballot, but the Court of Appeals panel upheld an earlier decision to invalidate nearly 100 signatures from the petition, saying they hadn’t been properly initialed.
The racing series that started Wednesday could last until May 11. The only remaining races will be scheduled for the San Mateo County Fair in August. After that, hundreds of condos and offices could take the place of the 74-year-old track where Sea Biscuit raced and the photo-finish was introduced.
Many at Wednesday’s races did not believe they were witnessing part of the track’s last season, noting that there’s been talk about closing the track for 20 years.
“It ain’t going nowhere,” said Daniel Franko, owner and trainer of General Dan, a winning horse at Wednesday’s races.
Bettor Paul Watroba, who’s been coming to Bay Meadows about once a week for years, hoped he was right.
“This track is what makes San Mateo special,” he said. “Do we really need more condos to look at?”
Comments from Examiner Readers
1:41 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 25, 2008 re: "Finish line in sight for Bay Meadows"
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5:29 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Finish line in sight for Bay Meadows"
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12:41 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Finish line in sight for Bay Meadows"
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Bay Meadows Fan said:
Just take away any entertain left there is to build some more condos and office buildings. My goodness there just ain't enough condos to go around. Any vacant land around and they'll build some more condos. You should see some of the places they stuck them at here in SSF. Most of the condos and apt buildings built around here have been sitting vacant for months and months and months. There are too many condos (get it). It needs to stop! I just read yesterday that K-Mart in San Mateo may also be demolished for some more condos. Enough is Enough!!! PS- I will miss you so much Bay Meadows! Imagine tearing down such a beautiful historic place for some more condos and office buildings. I hope they don't sell!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
I don't know how this City Council can sleep at night. This was never what was promised to the citizens of San Mateo. Where is the world class town center? This just looks like the developer tranferred some old drawings from the SoMa district of San Francisco. And now we find out there isn't funding for some of the key traffic elements, like the underpasses to El Camino or the train station that were to be a key elements of the plan. And this Council passes it anyway. Unbelieveable.
11 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Here is the line i like. However, their agreement with the city gives them a 15-year window to complete the massive project, meaning they could bide their time if they're not comfortable with the economy. So lets tear down one of the last pieces of San Mateo history and have a big dust bowl instead. Once the track is torn down it will never come back. If they are not comfortable with economy what will they do just let the property sit vacant. That would be much better than Show Casing San Mateo around the world through off track betting. This will be the city councils legacy. We have a glut of homes on the market right now and so much empty office space it makes no since to add more. The only ones to benefit from this project is the Bay Meadows Land Co. They will build this massive project and leave us with the mess. Either a big empty field or a horrible traffic mess. You asked for it. Now you got.
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