Thomas Gamel

Hollywood Park, which opens its thoroughbred meeting in Inglewood today amid its usual myriad financial woes, is using paint, bricks and blacktop to put on a happier face for the 68-day season, which runs through July 24. Post time for the first race each day will be 1:30 p.m., with racing conducted Wednesday through Sunday, except for a few special holidays. By Hollywood Park's past standards--topped by the $50-million Cary Grant Pavilion--this year's $200,000 in refurbishments are modest, and refreshingly tasteful.

Santa Anita, as recently as early 1990, entered into secret discussions with a board member of Hollywood Park that would have led to the elimination of racing at the Inglewood track and the transference of most of those dates to Santa Anita. Santa Anita went so far as to commission a major study that included a map of Hollywood Park property to be sold and the redistribution of racing dates.

Thomas Gamel of Denver, who holds 5.6% of the stock in Hollywood Park, has formally requested a shareholder list from the company so that he can advise other shareholders of his push for restructuring.

Thomas Gamel of Denver, who holds 5.6% of the stock in Hollywood Park, has formally requested a shareholder list from the company so that he can advise other shareholders of his push for restructuring.

The smallest opening-day crowd in track history--16,675--turned out at Hollywood Park Wednesday, and that wasn't even the bad news. That--as far as management was concerned--was the announcement by shareholder Thomas Gamel that he plans to launch a proxy battle for control of the track's immediate future. Gamel, who owns 5.6% of Hollywood Park common stock, has been highly critical of track management in recent months, primarily targeting Marje Everett, chairman of the board and chief operating officer.

Santa Anita, as recently as early 1990, entered into secret discussions with a board member of Hollywood Park that would have led to the elimination of racing at the Inglewood track and the transference of most of those dates to Santa Anita. Santa Anita went so far as to commission a major study that included a map of Hollywood Park property to be sold and the redistribution of racing dates.

Arcadia-based Santa Anita Cos., which is composed of Santa Anita Realty Enterprises and Santa Anita Operating Co., elected Thomas W. Gamel, 45, and Robert H. Strub, 31, as directors of Santa Anita Realty and Gamel and John M. Strub, 29, as directors of Santa Anita Operating. Fred H. Ryan resigned as a director of the real estate unit and Frank E. Kilroe as a director of Santa Anita Operating.

Thomas W. Gamel said that Hollywood Park has agreed to turn over a list of its shareholders. Gamel had sued to obtain the list, which he hopes to use to gain support for a proposal to convert the race track to other uses. Gamel, who has a 5.6% share in Hollywood Park stock, has proposed that the 340-acre site be converted to an off-track betting facility or a football stadium.

Hollywood Park and dissident stockholder Thomas W. Gamel apparently ended their feud Thursday. Hollywood Park Realty and Hollywood Park Operating Co. have agreed to nominate Gamel to the board of directors of each company, and he has agreed to withdraw the slate of directors he had nominated and will vote his shares for the boards' nominees.

The smallest opening-day crowd in track history--16,675--turned out at Hollywood Park Wednesday, and that wasn't even the bad news. That--as far as management was concerned--was the announcement by shareholder Thomas Gamel that he plans to launch a proxy battle for control of the track's immediate future. Gamel, who owns 5.6% of Hollywood Park common stock, has been highly critical of track management in recent months, primarily targeting Marje Everett, chairman of the board and chief operating officer.

Hollywood Park, which opens its thoroughbred meeting in Inglewood today amid its usual myriad financial woes, is using paint, bricks and blacktop to put on a happier face for the 68-day season, which runs through July 24. Post time for the first race each day will be 1:30 p.m., with racing conducted Wednesday through Sunday, except for a few special holidays. By Hollywood Park's past standards--topped by the $50-million Cary Grant Pavilion--this year's $200,000 in refurbishments are modest, and refreshingly tasteful.

R.D. Hubbard has given notice that he plans to start soliciting proxies immediately in an attempt to gain control of Hollywood Park well before the Jan. 28 stockholders' meeting. In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Wednesday, Hubbard asked for consent to solicit proxies. He must now file with the SEC any proxy material that he intends to send to stockholders. Approval is then routinely given in a matter of days to the person soliciting the proxy fight.

A group trying to buy Los Alamitos Race Course and its surrounding property from Hollywood Park said Thursday it will set a deadline on its latest offer, which it increased last week from the original $60 million. "We were told they would respond quickly and they have not responded," said Gary Hamilton, president of SDC Development of Newport Beach, whose company made the offer along with R. D. Hubbard and Dr. Edward Allred. Hamilton declined to disclose the amount of the new offer, saying only that "it is the most sincere offer they have, and the one they could consummate and close the quickest."