Gaming puts the ‘OK’ in Oklahoma
by Esther Marr
Before Remington Park obtained slots in 2005, the track was struggling to
survive. The front side desperately needed updating, crowds had dwindled
to alarmingly low numbers, field sizes were ever-shrinking, and purses
were not lucrative enough to compete with the tracks in neighboring states
bolstered by casino funds.
Just when things seemed hopeless for the Oklahoma City track, a godsend came in the
fall of 2004 in the form of the passage of State Question 712. The measure, which was approved
by Oklahoma citizens, authorized Remington Park to offer alternative gaming in
addition to live and simulcast horseracing. Over the last six years those additional funds
have had a crucial impact on the facility and the Oklahoma Thoroughbred industry as
a whole.
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