Cutbacks Concern Santa Anita Park Employees

It was a bleak day at on Thursday, and not just because the attendance was fewer than 3,000.

A pall hung over world-famous racetrack. Known as the Great Race Place, things are not so great at Santa Anita now.

“Who’s going to get laid off?” asked longtime Turf Club bartender Frank Panza.

Causing the concern was the announcement of a restructuring that puts more than 100 full-time and seasonal jobs in jeopardy.

“I think that might include employees at Golden Gate Fields, too,” an usher said wistfully.

“Maybe it is just non-union employees,” opined another worker.

Here is what Arcadia Patch has learned: An announced restructuring plan will affect about a third of the some 300 full-time and seasonal employees who work at Santa Anita on a given race day, excluding backstretch workers but not union members. It means a lot of people could lose their jobs or have their hours cut before the end of the year.

The restructuring plan was announced by Stronach Entertainment, Santa Anita’s parent company, which also owns Golden Gate Fields in Northern California. But this plan pertains only to Santa Anita.

In the first phase of the plan, two key positions were eliminated.

Gone are Allen Gutterman, the respected and popular vice president of marketing, who had been at Santa Anita since 2005, and Mike Harlow, another respected employee, who had been the Southern California racetrack’s director of racing since 1999.

The restructuring, according to a press release, includes merging of some departments, streamlining of finance and operations departments and a reduction of management and seasonal workforce.

Layoffs and Reduced Hours

, the president of Santa Anita, said some people will be laid off while others will have their hours reduced. He declined to give specific numbers.

“This is hard enough on the employees,” he said, admitting that it has also been hard on him. “I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights knowing this was coming. When you have to tell good people like Allen Gutterman that his position is being eliminated, it’s really tough.”

Replacing Gutterman will be Chris Quinn, who has been in charge of group sales. Quinn has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing and will oversee the merger of three departments--marketing, sales and public relations–into one.

Replacing Harlow will be Rick Hammerle, who has been Santa Anita’s racing secretary since 1999. He will now essentially have two titles–vice president of racing and racing secretary.

The restructuring announcement was made by Greg Avioli, the former Breeders’ Cup president and CEO who is now president and CEO of Stronach Entertainment, which is owned by Toronto-based Frank Stronach.

“This is the first phase of an initiative to position Santa Anita to compete in today’s economic climate and to provide the best possible racing and entertainment product for our customers,” said Avioli in the press release announcing the restructuring. “We are confident that our restructuring will benefit our organization, California horsemen, racing fans and other local stakes holders.

“In a time of industry consolidation and when more and more [money] is being generated off track, new approaches are needed to move the industry forward. We are focused on making Santa Anita a better racing facility and, at the same time, expanding its profile as a regional entertainment center offering other amenities in addition to racing and during our off season.”

and in its massive parking lot was recently announced and the Arcadia City Council passed an ordinance making it easier for the track to stage events.

Calls to Avioli and Gutterman were not returned. Hammerle said he had been told all comments were to come from Haines.

Stronach Entertainment, in addition to Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, also owns and operates Florida's Gulfstream Park and Casino, the Maryland Jockey Club, including Pimlico and Laurel racetracks, Portland Meadows, the XpressBet.com website and HRTV, a horse racing television network.