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03-27-2006, 06:43 PM
Dixon Downs foes near letter-writing goal
Race track opponents hope to gather 4,000 supporters
By MELISSA MURPHY/MediaNews Group
Opponents of a proposed thoroughbred horse racing complex in Dixon say they are fast approaching their goal of gathering 4,000 letters in opposition to the track.
The group, Dixon Citizens for Quality Growth, has been going door-to-door for months and setting up tables at local grocery stores to get citizens to sign a letter expressing their opposition of the racetrack. Some of those letters already have been delivered to city leaders, but more are coming, group members said Monday.
The group has collected more than 3,000 signed letters, and said they expect at least another 1,800 before they are through.
"We can get as many letters as we want," said Gail Preston, a member of the group. "The best way to categorize it is, that's a lot of letters. We'll collect as many letters as we need to make our point."
The complex, dubbed Dixon Downs, is proposed by Magna Entertainment Corporation on 260 acres in northeast Dixon and would include horse racing and entertainment. The first phase would include the thoroughbred racetrack and training center with a multipurpose entertainment pavilion.
The letter being circulated by opponents mentions that the racetrack will increase crime and traffic, hurt the environment, provide no economic benefit to the city and promote gambling problems and open the door for bringing other gambling opportunities such as slot machines in the future.
In their letter campaign, the group shares some comments citizens are adding to their letters. They include concerns that the racetrack will be a deterrent to keeping the small-town feel of Dixon and that the city should be looking for quality of life and not monetary value.
One of the opponents, Stephen Sikes, also expressed concern about air quality. He believes, besides odors from 1,400 horses, the racetrack will contribute to air pollution with heavy traffic on event days. Dixon already sees traffic on I-80 combined with diesel truck traffic on Highway 113, Sikes said.
"We already have air pollution in Dixon, why make a bad situation worse by adding to the pollution," he said.
He and other members took that concern to Tuesday's Dixon Planning Commission meeting. Planners were scheduled to talk about city transportation level-of-service policies.
The agenda item recommends that the city's general transportation plan, last updated in 1993, be amended to adjust for additional growth. The changes vary depending on predicted traffic flow in various parts of the city.
While opponents of the track view it as a critical issue to that project, the updated traffic plan would happen with or without the project, said city associate engineer Jason Riley.
"This needs to be done no matter if there is a racetrack or not," Riley said. "This has to happen with any additional growth."
Race track opponents hope to gather 4,000 supporters
By MELISSA MURPHY/MediaNews Group
Opponents of a proposed thoroughbred horse racing complex in Dixon say they are fast approaching their goal of gathering 4,000 letters in opposition to the track.
The group, Dixon Citizens for Quality Growth, has been going door-to-door for months and setting up tables at local grocery stores to get citizens to sign a letter expressing their opposition of the racetrack. Some of those letters already have been delivered to city leaders, but more are coming, group members said Monday.
The group has collected more than 3,000 signed letters, and said they expect at least another 1,800 before they are through.
"We can get as many letters as we want," said Gail Preston, a member of the group. "The best way to categorize it is, that's a lot of letters. We'll collect as many letters as we need to make our point."
The complex, dubbed Dixon Downs, is proposed by Magna Entertainment Corporation on 260 acres in northeast Dixon and would include horse racing and entertainment. The first phase would include the thoroughbred racetrack and training center with a multipurpose entertainment pavilion.
The letter being circulated by opponents mentions that the racetrack will increase crime and traffic, hurt the environment, provide no economic benefit to the city and promote gambling problems and open the door for bringing other gambling opportunities such as slot machines in the future.
In their letter campaign, the group shares some comments citizens are adding to their letters. They include concerns that the racetrack will be a deterrent to keeping the small-town feel of Dixon and that the city should be looking for quality of life and not monetary value.
One of the opponents, Stephen Sikes, also expressed concern about air quality. He believes, besides odors from 1,400 horses, the racetrack will contribute to air pollution with heavy traffic on event days. Dixon already sees traffic on I-80 combined with diesel truck traffic on Highway 113, Sikes said.
"We already have air pollution in Dixon, why make a bad situation worse by adding to the pollution," he said.
He and other members took that concern to Tuesday's Dixon Planning Commission meeting. Planners were scheduled to talk about city transportation level-of-service policies.
The agenda item recommends that the city's general transportation plan, last updated in 1993, be amended to adjust for additional growth. The changes vary depending on predicted traffic flow in various parts of the city.
While opponents of the track view it as a critical issue to that project, the updated traffic plan would happen with or without the project, said city associate engineer Jason Riley.
"This needs to be done no matter if there is a racetrack or not," Riley said. "This has to happen with any additional growth."