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Roosevelt Raceway Breaks Ground For Its Hew Grandstand Clubhouse Approximately 1000 Guests Attend Ceremonies Touching Off 14 Million Construction ConstructionWESTBURY WESTBURY N Y April 30 Roosevelt Raceway today broke ground for its 14 000000 new grandstand and clubhouse at noon time ceremonies George Morton Levy chairman of the Raceway executive com ¬ mittee was joined by legislative and civic dignitaries in spading the first shovel of earth earthThe The new facility will be completed for the opening of Roosevelts 1957 season seasonFulfilling Fulfilling its pledge to begin immediate construction following enactment of the HultsRyan Bill which enables harness tracks to rebuild and expand facilities Roosevelt embarked on its construction program 10 days after the signing of the legislation by Gov W Averell Harriman on April 20 20The The new Roosevelt Raceway becomes the first race track to be built in the metro ¬ politan New York area since 1905 when Belmont was constructed With thebreaking of ground by Levy the actual construction began His spading the i earth was he signal for some 25 bulldozers and earthmovers to level the site making way for the foundations and quick erection of steel The George A Fuller Co is general con ¬ tractor The structure was designed by Arthur Froehlich West Coast race track architect Approximately 1000 guests witnessed the ground breaking Among them wereeounty and state officials members of the press business and professional leaders out ¬ standing figures from the sporting world also owners trainers and drivers now par ¬ ticipating in the current meeting being held at Roosevelt Raceway RacewayThe The grandstand which will require the services of 86 trades will be the first split level type ever constructed Four levels in the back and three on the racing side it will contain a total of 13750 seats seatsTowering Towering more than 100 feet in the air the grandstand will be 800 feet long and 200 feet deep and will face the south east to take advantage of the prevailing eve ¬ ning breezes The structure will be of steel and concrete construction requiring 80 freight car loads of cement and 4000 tons of stadiumtype steel steelServing Serving patrons will be five restaurants including a coffee shop grill room a caTe teria mens bar the Promenade cafe and the sumptuous Cloud Casino Situated on the uppermost level of the clubhouse the Cloud Casino will seat 900 patrons on three terraced levels for dining diningThe The grandstand entrances will feature a threeacre formal garden designed by Allan Dalsimer and Joseph Gangemi of Cedarhurstr Long Island Situated in the center of the gardens will be an 80foot diameter waterfall waterfallA A dozen escalators and six elevators will service the clubhouse and grandstand grandstandThe The newly designed parking fields will have accommodations for 14000 cars
