Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:57 PM

Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, will not host live racing in 2010.

The New Hampshire legislature passed legislation during the 2009 session that eliminated funding for the New Hampshire Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission for 2010. The loss of funding means the commission cannot provide regulation and oversight or allow dates to be issued to Rockingham or any other track in the state.

“We have waited as long as we can for the legislature to correct this, but we cannot wait any longer,” Rockingham Park President Edward M. Callahan said. “We must notify the horsemen who come from all over the country so they can make other plans. Attempts have been made to restore the funding to the commission, but those attempts have been unsuccessful.

“In addition to the taxes that are paid, over the past few years the state has eliminated various funds from racing and has increased fees which would cost Rockingham almost $500,000 per year in order to hold live racing.”

With no live racing this year, it is estimated that more 100 jobs will be lost and that the state will lose more than 870 horsemen who had been licensed at Rockingham.

The last year that live racing was not conducted at Rockingham was 1983, following a fire that destroyed the grandstand. The owners of the facility at that time did not feel racing could be conducted profitably and sold the property to the current owners, Rockingham Venture Inc.

Rockingham Venture Inc. rebuilt the track and reopened it on May 24, 1984.

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