Magna submits Dixon track plans

DIXON, Calif. - Magna Entertainment Corporation submitted plans for a $250 million racetrack, shopping center and entertainment development to Dixon City officials Monday. Magna acquired 260 acres three years ago with the thought of building a racetrack if Bay Meadows was shut down.

The company held a public meeting in Dixon in October 2001 to discuss the possibility of building a racetrack there. Since that meeting, the project has grown in scope to include a commercial complex as well as a recreational area for city residents.

Monday's submission is only the first step in a long process that includes going through the approval process and acquiring building permits before the actual construction could begin. The site is undeveloped, meaning water, sewage, gas, and electricity must be provided.

The most optimistic estimates are that the track could not open before 2006. Magna currently operates Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields, northern California's two major racetracks.

Dixon is located 20 miles west of Sacramento, about 45 minutes from Golden Gate Fields.