view raw text
Hazel Park Group Bids ,780,000. And Acquires Wheeling Downs Plant Connell and Associates Are Successful as Federal Judge Grants Re-Opening Petition WHEELING, W. Va., June 21.— Federal Judge Harry E. Watkins today awarded Wheeling Downs race track to the Hazel Park Racing Association on its final high bid of ,780,000. This topped the previous high bid of ,725,000 submitted by a New York group associated in the ownership of Yonkers Raceway and a bid of ,500,000 made by John.B. Kelly, president of the Atlantic City Racing Association. Appearing before Judge Watkins as rep-! resentatives of Hazel Park were attoineys James Bellanca, vice-president, and John R. Monaghanr secretary. Earlier they had made an upset bid of ,675,000, which was accompanied by a cashiers check for 00,-000 made payable to Carl Schmidt,_receiver. The Yonkers offer, the previous high, was submitted by Arthur L. Stoll, New York attorney representing Charles Meltzer and associates. The group included Stoll, Meltzer, Martin, Alfred and Stanley Tananbaiim and Frederick Ballon, all of New York state. Todays hearing was the second phase of the Federal auction of the track once Continued on Page Twelve ] Wheeling Downs Track To Hazel Park Group Mokes High Bid of ,780,000 as Judge Grants Re-Opening Petition Continued from Page One operated by William G. Lias. It was ordered sold to satisfy part of the governments ,285,632 tax claim against Lias. HAZEL PARK, Detroit. Mich.. June 21. — Richard Connell, president of the Hazel Park Racing Association, today made the following statement when he learned that his group had made the successful high bid for the Wheeling Downs race track property: ] "We feel that we have, the know how and the personnel to operate a first class racing plant and present the West Virginia fans the finest in racing. "I know that Waldo D. Andrews, Hazel Parks iirst vice-president, and myself want to open "the -plant as soon as is desirable and in accordance with the wishes of the West Virginia Racing Commission and that is why we sent so many of our key executives to Wheeling to present our case for if successful in obtaining the property we want them to go right to work to formulate plans to re-open the plant. In fact we are going to ask the West Virginia Commission for substantially the same daes that were tentatively approved for the group headed by John B. Kelly, that is, July 10 to September 24, and October 19 to November 16."
