Simmons Statement On Fire at Hollywood, Daily Racing Form, 1949-05-07

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Simmons Statement On Fire at Hollywood CHURCHIIJL, DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 6. — Thomas W. Simmons, president of Hollywood Park, announced late this morning, after conferring with his associates in the management of the Inglewood track, that the summer season of the Hollywood Turf Club would be run as scheduled at Santa Anita. "Hollywood Park and Santa Anita long have had a reciprocal agreement to cover just such disasters," said Simmons. "Our agreement is to the effect that if anything happens to make racing impossible at one track, the facilities of the other track will be made available. I am happy to say that Santa Anita is immediately making avail-ble its facilities to us, and we will be able to open only a week late, on. Tuesday, May 17. "It is gratifying to us to have received the vast number of telephone calls and wires expressing regret at the disaster which overtook Hollywood Park. Fortunately, all our records remain intact, and the foundations are okay. We had just finished a ,500,000 modernization program. It will take at least 10 months to rebuild Hollywood Park. Our estimated loss was 60 per cent. The plant was covered by full insurance. "It also was gratifying to talk to horsemen here this morning. Most everyone who has nominated for our stakes has informed me they will ship as planned. The Santa Anita plant will be completely ready for the opening, although, of course, it will take herculean efforts on our part to make it ready on such short notice. Fortunately, no "tote" equipment was damaged and Santa Anita, which only recently closed, can be made ready in short time."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1940s/drf1949050701/drf1949050701_63_1
Local Identifier: drf1949050701_63_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800