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Dog days may be ahead for greyhound racing in Portland

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

WOOD VILLAGE, Ore. -- Greyhound racing has been a fixture in east Multnomah County for decades, but increased competition from other gambling outlets could soon finish it off.

Magna Entertainment, which operates greyhound racing at Multnomah Greyhound Park and horse racing at Portland Meadows, leases the park from property owner Art McFadden. The lease expires at the end of the month, but the company has the option of extending it for up to two more years.

The Toronto-based company is studying whether it makes sense to continue, company attorney Scott Daruty told The Oregonian.

"At the most, we've got two years," Daruty said. "What's going to happen two years from today?"

Betting at the track fell by more than 50 percent between 1995 and 2002, from $25 million to about $11 million. The reduction coincided with the rise of other gambling outlets, including the Oregon Lottery, tribal casinos and the Internet, which allows gamblers to place bets from home.

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