Endangerment and Reprieve
In 2000, the racetrack was named to America's "Most Endangered Historic Places" list. The Santa Anita Racetrack was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, but continued to be threatened by developer's plans. A themed entertainment complex proposal was aborted, but there were new plans are in the works for the parking and support areas adjacent to the historic race track and grandstands.
The Arcadia City Council approved a plan In April 2007 to develop an 830,000 square foot commercial, retail, and office complex in the south parking area, where the barracks that housed interned Japanese Americans during WWII are located. The proposal planned to tear down the South Ticket Gate and the 1938 Saddling Barn, and to install a simulcast facility in the center of the historic grandstand. As of May 2011, plans to build another mall next to Santa Anita Park were abandoned. Protests against the project by the Westfield group, owner of a mall adjacent to the racetrack, were named as a major factor in halting the building plans. Magna International, owner of Santa Anita Park, has declared bankruptcy.
Read more about this topic: Santa Anita Park