Evangeline Downs
{{short description|Casino in Louisiana}}
{{Infobox Casino
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| casino_type = Racino
| space_gaming = {{convert|48000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
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|website = http://www.evangelinedowns.com
|location = St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
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|owner = Boyd Gaming
|opened = April 28, 1966
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Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino is a racetrack in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, just east of Opelousas. It is owned and operated by Boyd Gaming. With a one-mile oval track, the facility provides close to 1,000 horse stalls for Thoroughbred flat racing and American Quarter Horse racing. The original track opened on April 28, 1966 at Carencro, Louisiana and remained there until 2005 when it moved to Opelousas, Louisiana.
History
On April 28, 1966, Evangeline Downs opened for business in its original location along U.S. Highway 167 (also known as the Evangeline Thruway, and today as Interstate Highway 49) at Carencro, Louisiana, just north of the city limits of Lafayette, Louisiana.
In 1982, Rodney Verret, Ted Haik, Sam Rankin, and Joe Jones bought the track for $12.4 million.{{cite news|title=Principal Evangeline buyers include League City man|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|agency=AP|date=November 8, 1985|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1985_50124/principal-evangeline-buyers-include-league-city-ma.html|accessdate=2012-05-17}}
In 1985, they sold it to Norman Denny and Larry Willis for $16.5 million.{{cite news|title=Lafayette track closed|newspaper=The Advocate|location=Baton Rouge, LA|publisher=via NewsBank|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/InfoWeb/aggdocs/AWNB/0EB4740D42023364/0D6884C8DA6CD5B5?s_lang=en-US|date=October 11, 1986|accessdate=2012-05-17}} {{subscription required}} Denny and Willis soon ran into financial problems. After a missed payment of purse money, the Louisiana Racing Commission threatened to shut down the track. Evangeline Downs was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and closed indefinitely in October 1986. Unable to negotiate a reorganization, Denny and Willis shifted to Chapter 7 liquidation, asking a court to sell the track.
The Louisiana Savings Association, primary mortgage holder for the property, bought it at auction for the minimum bid of $333,335.{{cite news|title=Savings and loan buys Evangeline Downs|newspaper=The Advocate|date=January 22, 1987|location=Baton Rouge, LA|publisher=via NewsBank|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/InfoWeb/aggdocs/AWNB/0EB47438D778ED50/0D6884C8DA6CD5B5?s_lang=en-US|first=Bruce|last=Schultz|accessdate=2012-05-17}} {{subscription required}} Races resumed in April 1987.{{cite news|title=Evangeline Downs opens 91-day season tonight|date=April 4, 1987|newspaper=The Advocate|location=Baton Rouge, LA|publisher=via NewsBank|first=Al|last=Guidry|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/InfoWeb/aggdocs/AWNB/0EB474529383A9BE/0D6884C8DA6CD5B5?s_lang=en-US|accessdate=2012-05-17}} {{subscription required}}
Evangeline Downs added video poker machines in 1992.{{cite news|title=Racetrack plans move: Video poker defeat sparks Evangeline Downs proposal|newspaper=The Advocate|location=Baton Rouge, LA|publisher=via NewsBank|date=January 16, 1997|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/s/InfoWeb/aggdocs/AWNB/0EB47848AD7380A0/0D6884C8DA6CD5B5?s_lang=en-US}} {{subscription required}} In a 1996 election, Lafayette Parish voters enacted a parish-wide ban on video poker. As a result, the track made plans to move to St. Landry Parish, whose voters had rejected a similar ban.
In February 2002, Peninsula Gaming bought a fifty percent interest in the track from B. I. Moody for $15 million.{{cite news|title=Peninsula Gaming eyeing full ownership of Evangeline Downs|newspaper=The Blood-Horse|date=August 2, 2002|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/10761/peninsula-gaming-eyeing-full-ownership-of-evangeline-downs|accessdate=2012-05-17}} They bought the remaining half several months later from William Trotter for another $15 million, plus 0.5% of slot revenues for the first ten years.{{cite news|title=With sale, Evangeline Downs poised for big move|newspaper=The Blood-Horse|date=September 6, 2002|first=Hector|last=San Miguel|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/11332/with-sale-evangeline-downs-poised-for-big-move|accessdate=2012-05-17}} Peninsula carried out the move to Opelousas, opening a casino at the new site in late 2003,{{cite news|title=Evangeline Downs gets early Christmas present|newspaper=The Blood-Horse|first=Hector|last=San Miguel|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/19716/evangeline-downs-gets-early-christmas-present|date=December 20, 2003|accessdate=2012-05-17}} with races following in 2005.{{cite news|title=New Evangeline Downs breaks from gate|newspaper=The Blood-Horse|date=April 7, 2005|first=Tom|last=LaMarra|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/27533/new-evangeline-downs-breaks-from-gate|accessdate=2012-05-17}} Peninsula was acquired by Boyd Gaming in November 2012.{{cite news|title=Boyd completes $1.45 billion acquisition of Peninsula Gaming|newspaper=Vegas Inc|date=November 20, 2012|url=http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/nov/20/boyd-completes-145-billion-acquisition-peninsula-g/|accessdate=2012-11-20}}
In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top ten, Evangeline Downs was ranked #6.{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}
In 2020, the original site in Carencro was converted into a distribution center for Amazon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.klfy.com/lafayette-parish/amazon-to-open-operation-in-old-evangeline-downs-site-companys-first-facility-in-louisiana/|title=Amazon to open operation in old Evangeline Downs site, company's first facility in Louisiana|date=22 December 2020}}
Sports
=Boxing=
On November 6, 2014, Regis Prograis fought Jeff Humphries on a boxing card with Prograis winning with a KO in round 1.
=Notable horse races=
On September 5, 1977, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, John Henry won his first-ever stakes race at Evangeline Downs, capturing the Lafayette Futurity.
A number of notable jockeys began their professional careers at this track, including Robby Albarado, Ronald Ardoin, Calvin Borel, Curt Bourque, Eddie Delahoussaye, Kent Desormeaux, Mark Guidry, Randy Romero, Shane Sellers and Ray Sibille.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.evangelinedowns.com/|Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino}}
- [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E0DE143EF933A05756C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all May 30, 2004 New York Times article on Evangeline Downs titled Where the Racing Is Down to Earth]
{{Boyd Gaming}}
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Category:Horse racing venues in Louisiana
Category:Boxing venues in Louisiana
Category:Sports venues in Lafayette, Louisiana
Category:Sports venues in Louisiana
Category:Buildings and structures in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Category:1966 establishments in Louisiana
Category:Tourist attractions in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana