It's been a fixture in West Windsor for 40 years, but the owners of the Windsor Raceway have a permit from the City of Windsor to tear it down.
The raceway opened October 22, 1965. The first day, 5,136 people attended wagering $194,204.
It shut down after the McGuinty government ended racing subsidies, and the track failed to reach an agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission. It netted the government $8-million a year in revenues.
The building has been vacant since it closed August 31, 2012 putting hundreds of people out of work.
Assistant developmental Chief Building Official with the City of Windsor, John Ravelle says the permit doesn't specify when demolition will take place, and there's no indication what development, if any, will replace it. He says the owners don't have to file a development plan since the racetrack lies outside the West Windsor Community Improvement Plan area.
The building will continue to get electricity until demolition to keep fire alarms operational.
