Playfair Race Course

Located in the East Central section of the city between Sprague Avenue and the railroad, the facility assets were auctioned in March 2004,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5mZWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zvIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2958%2C2524824 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=Auction leaves only memories|last=Graman|first=Kevin|date=March 5, 2004|page=C1}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-cNeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5687,1402469 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=(Idaho)|title=Racing fans bid adieu to Playfair|date=March 6, 2004|page=2B}} and it was demolished shortly after.[http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2004/february/19/historic-playfair-race-course-to-be-demolished-developed.aspx Thoroughbred Times - February 19, 2004] The {{convert|63|acre|km2|sing=on}} site was bought by City of Spokane in 2004 for $6.3 million,{{cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/may/28/city-may-sell-playfair-property-at-loss/ |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=City may sell Playfair property at loss|last=Brunt |first=Jonathon |date=May 28, 2009|access-date=February 26, 2013}} with the intent of partnering with Spokane County for a new sewage treatment facility.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BmhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b_MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6437%2C70948 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=City weighing Playfair site options |last=Brunt |first=Jonathon |date=September 1, 2007 |page=B1 }} The deal soured and {{convert|48|acre|km2}} was sold in 2009 to SCAFCO, a steel-framing manufacturer.{{cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jun/08/scafco-gets-go-ahead-buy-playfair-land/ |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=SCAFCO gets go-ahead to buy Playfair land |last=Brunt|first=Jonathon|date=June 8, 2009|access-date=February 26, 2013}}

Now owned by SCAFCO/[http://stonegco.com The Stone Group] and known as [http://playfaircp.com Playfair Commerce Park], the site comprises eleven industrial lots.{{Cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/apr/28/playfair-commerce-park-evolves-from-racetrack/#/0|title=Playfair Commerce Park evolves from racetrack roots|work=Spokesman.com|access-date=2017-07-27|language=en}} Large metal silhouettes of race horses mark the entrance to the park.

Ferris Field,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oR5WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8uMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6611%2C4223255 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=May |first=Danny |title=What the outfielders saw of Spokane's largest crowd at Ferris Field |agency=(photo) |date=June 13, 1939 |page=1}} a wooden baseball park, was adjacent to the parking lot west of the track.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-8120524 |work=Minor League Baseball |last=Price |first=Jim |agency=(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington)|title=Indians stadiums of the past |date=June 21, 2003|access-date=December 7, 2017}} Built in 1936,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4NVXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DfUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6625,9204351 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|location=(Washington)|title=So Spokane ball fans can sit in comfort while diamond stars perform|date= June 30, 1936 |page=1}} it was the home of the minor league Spokane Indians through 1956, and was named for city attorney George M. Ferris, a former player and manager for the Indians (at Natatorium Park) who secured funding from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to build it. The baseball diamond was aligned east, toward the horse track, resulting in challenging sun conditions for the fielders in the late afternoon and early evening.

A fire in late October 1948 damaged most of the Ferris grandstands,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S_w0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=deUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5948,6106826|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=Fire destroys Ferris Field's grandstand, parts of bleachers|date=October 30, 1948|page=1}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HIUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5648,6415080 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|location=(Washington)|title=Investigators seek cause of $100,000 Ferris Field fire|date=October 30, 1948 |page=1}} and it was rebuilt in steel in the spring of 1949.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0mtWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7226,3466099|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|location=(Washington)|title=Ferris Field construction rushed; line-up named|date=April 8, 1949 |page=15 }} It hosted high school football in 1948 and 1949, between the condemnation of wooden Gonzaga Stadium and the opening of Spokane Memorial Stadium in 1950 (renamed Joe Albi Stadium in 1962).

Spokane went without minor league baseball in 1957;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YfxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6PYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4278%2C3791976 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=May |first=Danny |title=Spokane Indians fold; need $75,000 miracle |date=February 16, 1957 |page=8}} the new Triple-A Spokane Indians of the Pacific Coast League arrived in 1958 (formerly the Los Angeles Angels) and moved about a mile (1½ km) east to the new Fairgrounds Park (now Avista Stadium) on Havana Street.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dgwSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uvIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5856,325817 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=Five homes to call their own|last=Price|first=Jim|date=June 21, 2003 |page=H12}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://playfaircp.com/about/ Playfair Commerce Park] – About
• [http://www.horseracing-tracks.com/tracks/wa/homePla.html Horse Racing Tracks] – Playfair Race Course

Category:Defunct horse racing venues in Washington (state)

Category:Demolished sports venues in Washington (state)

Category:1901 establishments in Washington (state)

Category:2001 disestablishments in Washington (state)