Pimlico's Northern Grandstand to be Closed
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Patrons in the north grandstand (right) at the 2015 Preakness
With a recent engineering study finding the northern grandstand section at Pimlico Race Course unsafe, Maryland Jockey Club owner The Stronach Group said the section that has seating capacity for 6,670 guests will not be open for this year's Preakness Stakes Weekend.
The section, which is the oldest on the grounds, is open air seating that includes concourse box and concourse reserved seating. The Stronach Group said ticket holders who have purchased seats in that section of the grandstand for this year's Preakness will be able to trade their tickets at face value for similar seating.
"It is deeply disappointing for us and the affected ticket holders that at a peak moment in time when we generate the most amount of income for the industry, for our company, and for all stakeholders, and when we are poised to welcome racing fans to Preakness, we have to de-commission 6,670 seats," said Bill Hecht, CEO of U.S. Real Estate for The Stronach Group. "As the safety and security is paramount to our guests and employees, this position to forego income should in no way be interpreted as anything other than that."
Hecht was addressing concerns the decision was a political move by the track owner, who favors moving the Preakness Stakes (G1) to Laurel Park. The Baltimore Sun noted the closure came just days after Baltimore-area lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly defeated an effort by The Stronach Group to pass legislation that would have accelerated plans to renovate Laurel Park.
In a release, The Stronach Group said it had hired independent engineering firm Faisant Associates of Baltimore to assess the facility ahead of this year's Preakness Stakes (G1).
"Faisant Associates concluded that there has been significant deterioration to the northern part of the grandstand, the exterior portion of the facility adjacent to the Clubhouse," The Stronach Group said in a release. "The northern grandstand is the old oldest portion of the structure dating back more than a century, with seating capacity for 6,670 guests, and is no longer suitable to sustain that level of load-bearing weight.
"As the safety and security of all guests and employees at Pimlico is paramount, the Maryland Jockey Club made the difficult decision to close that section of the grandstand for this year's Preakness Stakes. The closure is in effect for the full Pimlico meet including the Preakness Stakes and Black Eyed Susan Day."