Funding for Fort Erie Race Track

The possibility of horse racing in Fort Erie this year is looking a lot brighter this morning.

A lease renewal deadline of midnight was relaxed by the facility’s owner, and last night Fort Erie town council approved a half million dollar grant for the track. Jim Thibert, manager of the Fort Erie live racing consortium, says the money is enough to buy time to finalize a funding arrangement.

Even though the province increased its funding for horse racing in Ontario yesterday to half a billion dollars over five years, Fort Erie officials don’t know exactly how much they’ll receive. Thibert says he hopes to have enough information later today to be able to commit to a full schedule of 40 races.