The Colonial Downs horse race track is closing November 1st. The closure also involving off-track betting sites in Virginia, including the one in Vinton. The Downs never really opened this year, the result of a dispute between the track and horse owners that was never resolved.
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Colonial Downs’ CEO Jeffrey Jacobs is announcing at a meeting of the Virginia Racing Commission that the track will close Nov 1. Jacobs said Wednesday that he lacked the votes on the commission to bring in a new horseman’s group that was agreeable to his racing scheme at the New Kent County track. The track wants fewer races with higher purses. The horsemen say they need more racing dates to cover their costs of owning, training and running horses. Colonial Downs is Virginia’s only pari-mutuel wagering horse track.
