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Corporate
Name: Prairie Meadows
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1000, Altoona, Iowa 50009-0901
Street Address:
1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona, Iowa 50009
(Click for map)
Telephone: (515) 967-1000 or (800) 325-9015
Fax: Main: (515) 967-1344; Racing: (515) 967-1376; Simulcasting:
(515) 967‑8250; Media: (515) 957-3017
Website: www.prairiemeadows.com
Prairie Meadows celebrates its 25th year of operation in
2013. The initial construction of the first Iowa equine pari-mutuel facility
began in 1988, followed by its inaugural race on March 1, 1989.
Early in the track's history, competition from riverboats and Native
American gaming interests severely hindered track revenues. Track management
was determined to ease the burden on Polk County taxpayers, who ultimately
were responsible for the track debt, while preserving the horse racing
industry in Iowa. For two years, racetrack officials lobbied to obtain a
casino gaming license.
In 1994, legislation was enacted permitting Prairie Meadows to install its
first 1,100 slot machines while operating as a non-profit corporation to be
managed locally by the license holder, Racing Association of Central Iowa
(renamed Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Inc. in January 2005). Local
response to this new entertainment venue exceeded all expectations and,
within 18 months after the casino opened on April 1, 1995, the track was
able to satisfy its $90 million in construction revenue bonds to Polk
County. Since then, casino revenues have allowed Prairie Meadows to increase
its overall purse structure from $1.2 million in 1994.
In December, 2004, 33 table games opened for play. In early 2007, Prairie
Meadows finished a $60 million expansion to bring on board The Meadows
Events and Conference Center, the Triple Crown Eatery, AJ’s Fine Dining, and
one of the state’s largest commercial food kitchens. The expansion also
included a new saddling paddock and walking ring. The facility currently has
51 table games and 1,935 slot machines. Prairie Meadows 168-room hotel,
complete with a lounge, cafe, business center, fitness center and salt-water
pool, opened in March 2012. In 2012, the average daily Thoroughbred
purse/supplement was $227,725 during the Thoroughbred meet from April
20–August 11.
The 2013 season at Prairie Meadows begins on April 19, featuring 67 days of
Thoroughbred racing through August 10, including the track's signature
events, the Grade III $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, the
Grade III Iowa Derby and the Grade III Iowa Oaks during the Iowa Festival of
Racing, June 28–29.
The American Quarter Horse meet, highlighted by the Grade II Valley Junction
Futurity and the Bank of America Central Championship series, runs from
August 17 to October 12 (26 days). Both breeds take part in an all-Iowa
night featuring the state’s top-flight runners. The Thoroughbreds' Iowa
Classic is August 3 and the Quarter Horses' statebred night is set for
October 12.
Prairie Meadows fosters a maturing horse industry throughout Iowa with an
increasingly larger number of Iowa-breds competing successfully in open
company and at major racing venues throughout the nation. Prairie Meadows is
a significant corporate contributor to local community betterment programs
through gaming taxes and grants funding, having returned more than $1
billion in community betterment funding, state and local taxes since 1995.
Prairie Meadows is committed to its tradition of excellent guest service,
while offering racetrack fans and casino players the finest racing and
gaming entertainment in the Midwest.
Chairman of the Board: Jack Peters
President/CEO: Gary Palmer
Vice Presdent/COO: Ann Atkin
Vice President/CFO: Brian Wessels
Director of Racing: Derron Heldt
Director of Facilities: Dustin VandeWeerd
Racing Secretary:
Chad Keller, (515) 957-3027
Horsemen's Liaison: Chuck Schott
Pari-Mutuel Operations Manager: Aric Rasmussen, aric.rasmussen@prairiemeadows.com
Track Announcer: James McAulay
Television Production: Ryan Dunn
Track Photographer: Jack Coady, Jr. (Coady Photography)
Racing Communications/Publicity: Mary Lou Coady
Simulcast Manager: Marty Pohlmeier
Nearest City: Des Moines (5 miles southwest of track)
Nearest Airport: Des Moines International (15 miles from track)
Track Data: 1-mile oval, 6-furlong and 1¼-mile chutes; soil
composition – 87% fine sand, 3% clay, 10% silt; length of stretch, 990 feet;
stabling for 1,350 horses; track acreage is 233; ½-mile training track
Admission Price: Free
Facility Capacity: 12,636
Minimum Age Admitted: Casino, 21; Racing, under 21 must be
accompanied by an adult
Parking Facilities: 3,600 vehicles (parking is free)
Simulcasting Information: Year-round, 10-22 cards a day, full cards
are allowed
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