The Phoenix Trotting Park, a horse racing track, was originally built in 1964 in Goodyear, Arizona. It opened in 1965 and was run for about two and a half seasons. The large, futuristically designed structure gave an optimistic look for the 1960s.
Originally planned to be built for a cost of about $3 million, the facility ended up costing around $10 million. Various incentives during the events that were held, such as free parking and admission did initially lead to decent attendance. However, a variety of factors led to the inevitable closing of the track. The hot weather of the desert caused events to be uncomfortable to attendees. The location provided limited means to control rain, leading to floods that caused accessibility problems. The park is also located about 20 miles outside of Phoenix and was built long before any major roads made the area easily accessible to those in the city or its suburbs.
The main building of the park was used in the 1998 Charlie/Martin Sheen movie No Code of Conduct. Part of the feature involved a large explosion occurring at the track. Despite the original assurances by the production staff that no animals would be injured, hundreds of the birds occupying the abandoned structure were killed and injured when the effect went off.
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The Phoenix Trotter Park, opened in the early 60's and abandoned a few years later, and was used for horse harness racing. Very visible from Interstate 10, just outside of Goodyear, AZ.
There is an apocalyptic feel to walking around such a place. It has the feel of a science fiction movie set, depicting a futuristic society fallen to a nuclear war.
Opened in 1965, it was originally supposed to be built for $3 million, but after Italian architects and contractors were brought in it wound up closer to $10 million, essentially bankrupting its builder, James Dunnigan, who had operated Buffalo Raceway. It was built of reinforced concrete, and could have withstood a direct hit by a hydrogen bomb. Delvin Miller, harness racing's Mr. Everything, implored Dunnigan to forego building a track, and instead workout a deal with Turf Paradise to install lights for a million or so and race harness nights at that thoroughbred track. That advice, feasible at the time, could have resulted in harness racing today in Phoenix. Instead, Phoenix Trotting Park went belly up and was bought by Sportservice, to make sure no reincarnation took place and its greyhound operation in Phoenix was protected.
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There is no asbestos in the building - it's made of reinforced concrete.
