No Timetable Yet for Prairie Meadows Stabling/Racing

On May 13, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation that unless otherwise specified, all casinos in the state would remain closed through May 27 as part of the COVID-19 lockdown. Under the same proclamation, racetracks were granted a special dispensation to resume racing as soon as May 15, providing all operations were conducted without the presence of fans and under strict health protocols to help contain the spread of the virus. 

Following a May 14 meeting of the Prairie Meadows board members, the Iowa track released a statement that it would remain closed for the foreseeable future despite the state government's decision to allow an exception for racing. 

"While we appreciate the governor's desire to reopen Iowa businesses, the Prairie Meadows board of directors and executive management have determined that at this time it is not safe to conduct live racing at its facilities," read the release. 

The following points were outlined by the track in support of its decision to remain shuttered: 

• Prairie Meadows has been closed since March 16 because COVID-19 has caused many lives to be lost and a significant amount of serious illness. It laid off 1,130 of its employees May 3 and is not willing to ask any of them to return and risk their health or life until safer working conditions can be provided.
• It was reported this week that Polk County is in the top 10 counties in the country where the virus is spreading the fastest. Until this trend reverses and a decline in the virus is evident, Prairie Meadows does not wish to reopen any portion of its facilities. 
• A convenient and reliable test for the virus is not yet readily available and is considered an important step to Prairie Meadows' reopening.
• The racing backside (barns and dormitories) creates a congregate environment for 500-1,000 horsemen and their workers who visit from all over the country and stay for months at a time. This creates a serious issue complying with social distancing recommendations.
• Prairie Meadows is pursuing every measure to ensure compliance with the federal and Iowa guidelines and the safety of its employees, the horsemen, and their workers.

"At Prairie Meadows, we care deeply about the health and well-being of our family of employees, our guests, the horsemen, and our community," said Gary Palmer, Prairie Meadows' president and CEO. "This is a position in which we have been steadfast since deciding to close our full operation before any other casino in the state." 

The decision is likely to be a difficult one for horsemen in the area who have had limited options for boarding and training in the fallout of COVID-19. In order to keep communications open, Jon Moss, the director of the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said his organization will enter talks with Prairie Meadows on May 15 to determine the next steps to get racing up and running in the state.  

"We're working with Prairie Meadows, and I don't know what will happen, but we're hoping to have a very willing and optimistic partner," Moss said. "We're waiting to hear back from them. We've been working to get all the partners comfortable with the situation. This virus is a national situation, and we're aware of that. We're trying to be as courteous with individuals as possible and trying to work through how to make operations work.

"I want to say thank you to all the states that have been conducting racing and who have shown that it can be done in a safe and effective manner. I don't know of any outbreaks at tracks that have been racing, so that seems to prove that with the protocols that have been established at racetracks around the country that this can be done and that any issues that could occur can be mitigated. And it can be done in spectator-free fashion, which means the handle can go up. We look at Oaklawn Park's last day, which pulled in $41 million, which is amazing. There is something there, and it would be nice to be a part of it if at all possible. With everything else being shut down, horse racing has a chance to be out there in the spotlight." 

Eric Hamelback, the CEO of the national HBPA, echoed Moss' statements and reiterated the fact that the priority for the HBPA was to first help facilitate the reopening of Prairie Meadows' backside to allow horsemen to safely ship horses into the state. 

"As horsemen, we're trying to do what is best for the horses," Hamelback said. "The reality is that they need a place to live and exercise and train, even if we don't have racing. Not having Prairie Meadows' backside open up has created some logjams because horsemen that would usually got there have to find someplace else to go. That has been a frustrating aspect for several racetracks. 

"From a national standpoint, we've tried to urge tracks to let horses train if they weren't allowing that, and now the second phase is to allow us to use protocols we can follow now and get racing up spectator-free. We're having some success there with states like Kentucky and West Virginia. Canterbury Park in Minnesota will also be up soon. We're just trying to get everyone else on board." 

Despite having declared no clear timeline for reopening, Prairie Meadows said preparations to put track-wide COVID-19 protocols into place for its staff were already in the works. 

"As we continue our vigilant work on preparing our property for its eventual reopening, I'm reminded just how committed our team is in overcoming this horrible pandemic," Palmer said. "While there is no playbook for this great challenge, I am confident that our men and women at Prairie Meadows will rise above it and again soon welcome back our employees, guests, horsemen, and community—safely."