The Inside Rail

Is Doc’s Track Back on Track?

Positive signs are pointing to an end to the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack (RDJ) years-long stalemate. Although it might be a bit too early to bet the farm on it, you could put a solid ten spot on a sleek little Filly named “Caravelle West” going off at 2 to 1. 

After cheering her on to a photo-finish in the newly-built grandstands, you could walk up to the mutuel window, turn in your winning ticket, and have a nice meal for two in the classy new clubhouse.

No doubt it was a sloppy track you were betting on, everyone knows it’s been raining  buckets of disappointment for who knows how long, but certain indicators that the St. Croix Times has been able to sniff out, with the help of a little birdie from the Flamboyant Park Horsemen Association, point to a deal in the offing that would bring the much beloved Sport of Kings back to its old haunts on the West Side of St. Croix. 

First of all, there has been a good deal of physical work going on at the barns of the RDJ track. VIGL is paying for renovations on the barns. The roof is being renewed and patched up, the walls shored up, the stalls tidied up and an overall clean-up and spiff-up of the entire barn area on the track’s west end has been happening daily for weeks.   

Secondly, VIGL, owners of the popular Caravelle Hotel & Casino in downtown Christiansted, the organization that basically controls the rights to horse racing on St. Croix at “Docs” track, is in the process of obtaining the services of a new construction company, locally prominent Tillman Construction Co., to build the Racino and the grandstands. VIGL has also signed a contract with US Virgin Islands based Atlantic Caribbean Consulting LLC as the Owner’s Representative to build the RDJ redevelopment project.

Third, the Times also hears, the reported price for doing the construction work on the Racino and the grandstands has come down significantly from its original $30 million estimate to a respectable $12 million - plus the USVI government has agreed to kick in $5 million which brings the cost to VIGL down to somewhere around $7 million. 

And finally, and perhaps the most compelling point that might be provoking such positive activity by VIGL, at putting the track back on track, is the fact that there are now two interested parties in rebuilding Docs track. 

Not only is Southland Gaming, current operators of the St. Thomas track and a ton of gambling machines on STT, still lined up at the starting gate, forever chomping at the bit to take over the STX track project (despite the fact they could be a long shot to get licensing)...but now along comes a dark horse riding fast on the inside rail. 

The St Croix Times hears strong rumors that Divi Carina Bay Resort & Casino, owners of the far east side all-inclusive & adult-only resort and casino, has just entered  a long-shot local favorite to rebuild and operate the Randall Doc track. And the word on the street is they could be in a much better post position to obtain the necessary licensing than Southland. 

So down the stretch they come. And if we know anything at all about human nature, there’s nothing more motivating than someone breathing down your neck, looking over your shoulder and wanting the same thing you want. In this case, it hopefully tightens up the odds of opening day at the Randall Doc track being not too far off into the foreseeable future.