Parx Casino is not a fan of nearby gaming establishments; particularly when it comes to sports betting.
Now its parent company, Greenwood Racing, is stepping in, seemingly with a similar mindset.
Garden State Park Racetrackrecently established plans to become the first standalone sports betting property in New Jersey. Located in Cherry Hill, the long-shuttered track wants to develop a retail sportsbook within the oval of its facility. Currently, the facility is a site for retail outlets, apartments and restaurants.
A story by ROI-NJ detailed the racetrack’s plans. It also became the catalyst for Greenwood’s latest legal maneuver.
Greenwood and its company Garden State Park Racing sent a letter to Judge Renee Marie Bumb via its attorneys. In it, the gaming company cites the ROI-NJ story as proof of Garden State Park Racetrack plans. The letter also requests the court to prohibit Garden State Park from advancing with its sportsbook plans.
From the letter:
“If the information in this online article is correct, plaintiff is engaging in self-help in the face of a pending motion for a preliminary injunction. In those circumstances, we thought it would be best to bring the matter to the Court’s attention, so the Court can address as best as the Court deems fit.”
THE LONGSTANDING RIFT BETWEEN DEVELOPER, OPERATOR
As the initial story noted, the real estate tandem of Jack Morris and Joe Marino want to turn the old Garden State Park track into a standalone sports betting property.
According to the report, the facility would open within 90 days. The duo already had its list of bookmakers down to a select few. In fact, according to Morris, the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement had visited several times. They also hired the firm SOSH Architects to craft the 142-seat sportsbook.
The original dispute, at least the crux of it, stems from this past summer. Around that time, Cherry Hill Towne Center Partners, developers of the site, filed a lawsuit against Garden State Park Racing, the former operator. In the suit, the plaintiff alleged that the operator overstepped its bounds by preventing the racetrack from opening a sportsbook. For its part, Garden State Park Racing said it was well within its rights to do so.
The lawsuit claims these restrictions, specifically as they relate to sports betting, are “invalid and unenforceable.” The case remains open.
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Originally Posted by jjgold
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