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Casino in deal with track

Wednesday, July 17, 2002 | 11:15 a.m.

DEL MAR, Calif. -- The Barona Casino has agreed to a $1.5 million three-year sponsorship of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

The deal, announced Monday, represents the largest corporate investment in the race track's history and the largest such expenditure by the San Diego County tribe.

Over the next three race seasons, Barona's name will be prominently displayed in advertising, publications and at major track events, including a hat contest on the July 24 opening day and a special $50,000 race.

Del Mar officials said they expect the deal to help boost the number of people visiting the track, especially after Barona opens a 400-room hotel in December as part of a $230 million casino expansion.

"In many ways, we have some of the same customers," said Craig Fravel, executive vice president of the Thoroughbred Club. "We just both felt there was a lot of synergism."

During 1998 and 2000 campaigns to win voter support of Indian gaming, horse racing interests had argued they would be hurt by legalizing and expanding tribal casinos.

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