Smith suggests moving horse racing events to Anegada
President of the BVI Horse Owners’ Association, Lesmore Smith, has suggested shifting horse racing to the island of Anegada.
Smith made that recommendation following a directive issued by the government recently halting races scheduled for the upcoming weekend and any upcoming activities at the Ellis Thomas Downs track, where horse racing is usually kept on Tortola.
Smith told JTV News recently that the most appropriate way forward given the impasse with the government and the current property owner at Ellis Thomas Downs would be for the government to acquire a plot of land or use its own.
Anegada can host Caribbean Classic
According to Smith, the current track at the Ellis Thomas Downs is only a four-furlong track and a proper track may require some 15 acres of land. He noted this will be inclusive of stables for the horses, grandstands, and a running surface.
“The only place that I know that government would have that available land would be Anegada, that’s being honest, flat (land),“ Smith stated.
Smith said that another plot of land near the current track was previously looked at, but this also belongs to another landowner and would require further negotiations by the government to acquire the plot.
He said if horse racing is taken to Anegada, then a ‘Belmont situation’ can be created. Smith pointed to Dubai and other locations and noted that horse racing is one of the biggest sports in the entire world.
“It’s a lot of money involved, and now we have the parimutuel betting situation, the game act being passed … We could hold probably the Caribbean Classic, but we’d have someplace to be able to do that,” Smith expressed.
Racing fans sail to St Thomas
He further argued that the Anegada economy can be developed with the addition of more homes and hotels.
“Just like we sail to go to St Thomas, we sail to go to St Croix, we just sail across for the week before the race,“ Smith suggested.
He also said St Thomas just opened the door for the rest of the Caribbean to visit the USVI visa-free, so this presents an opportunity for moving the people of the Caribbean around, and helping to build and grow the BVI economy.
“A possibility to make it happen is there,” Smith said, “it’s just for us to open our eyes and we just got to decide we are going to go and do it.”
He continued: “So it’s a challenge, and it’s going to take a lot of guts to go to the challenge, but if we intend to make the economy work, we’re going to have to find other means of being able to create a better tourism product by having people move.”
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I agree with Mr Smith on this one. Government needs to find an alternative.
A huge undertaking but we have to think big. I like it. There will definitely be spinoffs businesses as well.
Genius – More money the Government doesn’t have and a business it should not be in.
This is what happens when you elect officials that have done NOTHING, and expect them to do something, and we are all surprised by the deep $hit this country is in! None of these guys could run their own households never mind a country. Those few that do have knowledge only use it to further their own causes to teh detriment of the people (talking to you Mr. Fish Bay, and Mr. Supermarket).
WAKE UP PEOPLE! Just because you are offered a food basket and a t-shirt by natural orators does not mean these people know $hit about delivering anything to the people of this country!
Think … EDUCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, MEDICAL, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDLDERLY, the list goes on and on and here this fool is talking tracks in Anegada.
At pock wood pond there is some sea water filling going on. There is a nice place to put it.
Coxs heat is a good place also to put the track.
To summer it up? the Unity Government is a waste. Every member wasn’t to be Premier. The Minister of Education especially don’t have a clue. I hope they call election soon or the Education system will suffer significant long term harm. I hope some serious candidates step forward. A BUNCH OF WASTE OF TIME IN THE CURRENT UNITY GOVERNMENT.
Government should not be paying for entertainment. The owners need to work out a strategy to charge entrants for hosting activities and the gambling that happens surrounding the event.
Wake up call: Government can’t pay its electricity bills. And elected officials are patting themselves on the back for paying fuel surcharges for only two months but can’t fix problems in government as they have no money.
Sl** Wande and the Unified A** Clowns have no spine between the lot of them and we have a weak opposition. Paying for horse races is extremely stupid.
That drug money gotta circulate LMAO
Ok boss, what’s your suggestion? what’s your alternative?
no…the horse racing community needs to find and fund an alternative….
No no if you were an elected member that is what you would suggest rather than doing the right thing and coming to an agreement with the Thomas family to buy or a long-term lease. Who going to cross that rude channel to see horse racing.
This is for private enterprise to address and solve, it’s not for public funds.
If they need fundraisers to feed horses you think Government should invest public funds?
Wouldn’t it be more expensive for a horse owner to take care of his horses? He would have to move to Anegeda to be able to train and take care of his horses and not to mention taking a boat with supplies to take care of the horses. What about the ferries getting the fans to the races on time.
Why should government be involved at all? Support the ferry companies and go Rock to watch the stupid races
@ Salty Fish
I get what you are saying…but the BVI is a small place and needs development. Other cities over the world do these kind of things because the business they attract helps the economy. Here is a list of businesses that will benefit. Hotels, Taxi, Ferries, food establishments and bars and oh yes the government too……and people will visit when there are no horse races too because there will be more places to stay and go…..and the money will mostly be staying home. I want you to go as well and have a good time from time to time.
the horses can swim because the entire drowned island will be underwater by the time this controversy is resolved.
GET RID OF THE UNITY GOVERNMENT AND PROBLEM SOLVED
So effin stupid…
There is NO infrastructure on Anegada to support this. Only a few hundred people live there. And brainless doesn’t know a lick about horses. The feed and water alone issue makes it unsustainable. Horses require up to 60 GALLONS of water per day. Got enough RO or rainwater there for them? Add in feed, hay, etc. doesn’t grow there.
Just like the airline, dolphin park, and other ad nauseum projects the government has failed to deliver.
From Salty Fish, thank you! I just give up trying to explain to people the logic and logistics of this place.
@Turtle Dove, Jim explained exactly why it will not work on Anegada and pretty much everywhere else in the BVI.
If you like horse race go STT! Closer than Anegada anyway.
Why would you want to move the horse racing from the main land to carry it anegada. That’s to much of a hassle especially for the horse owners. That’s bs in my opinion
Anegada is a too far. Not saying it wouldn’t be ideal location but more costly on the stakeholders.
Now if you looking on relocating I suggest coxs heats there is the perfect location for the horse tracks if not there beef island has acres of on touched flat land make use of it
I really think the government need to forget about the Thomas land because every time they look across there and they they think the track making money they will continue to go down this road stop using our money to lease people property build on your own
So if we have to fill Josiah’s Bay Pond our purchase land in Josiah’s Bay by all means but come away from this problem with the Thomas it’s toxic and I mean toxic
That Anegada idea will cost us to much forget about that
….fill in any more ponds in this Territory. Good ideas but ponds serve a purpose.
We need to just leave this family and their greedy drama alone.. We done see they love money more than people more than the sport. Total contrast to their father..Moving is the best move.
These people must have forgotten the horses have to train and be fed daily.
Which horse owner going Anegada every morning to do that and don’t even say it have residents over there that could do it.
You realize you will have to pay boat fare plus entry fare for a whole family????
Try Josiah’s Bay.
what will happen if you become our leader
better moving the adm building to the place you suggested
Coxs heat it is. Beef Island is for the Airport
How much horse racing events we have a year? Would this be beneficial for the economy?
What land? Government don’t have land on Anegada. Anegada just good as it is. You all mess on Tortola, please for the sake of God dleave Anegada out of that mess.
Coxheath is entirely reserved for Renewable energy projects.
Anegadians don’t want your fu@kry over here. Stay in ya place man.