1933 – Berger Going Ahead With His Race Track

originally published in Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1933

The sport of horse racing did not technically begin in the Los Alamitos area when Frank Vessels started his Sunday “bet-less” races in 1947.  There are well-documented races in the area during the ownerships of Abel Stearns and Don Juan Temple of Rancho Los Alamitos and Ranchos Los Cerritos.  Betting on horse racing was declared illegal in the early 20th century, but in May 1933, betting advocates used the referendum method to get parimutuel betting for horse racing approved by California voters.  One of the very first applications for a track was put in by Col. John S. Berger, who proposed a track catty corner from where Leisure World now sits at Westminster and Seal Beach Boulevard.

The request apparently did not go over well in Orange County, which had one of the lowest “approve” percentages on the betting referendum.  The largest opposition came from churches and schools, the same groups who would later lead a campaign which quickly disposed of an attempt to build a track in Garden Grove.

 

SANTA ANA, May 29—After a session that last well into the afternoon the Board of Supervisors today passed over the request of Col. John S. Berger, 456 South Serrano Avenue, Los Angeles, for a permit to build and operate a horse-racing plant at Seventeenth street and Los Alamitos Street, near Seal Beach.  The board said there was no way which the permit could be granted, even though the sentiment should be for it.The Supervisors’ room was filled with supporters of the applicant.  Heading the delegation was W.D. Miller, Seal Beach banker, and Thomas Talbert, former chairman of the Board of Supervisors, representing the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Col. Berger said that he would comply with any rules or regulations that the Board might lay down for the conduct of the plant which he declared would bring about an expenditure of $250,000 and the employment of nearly 1,000 Orange County residents.  Although Col. Bergert said he was disappointed at the failure of the board to grant a written permit, he indicated that the plans for the Orange County jockey Club course at Seal Beach would probably go ahead, inasmuch as he had learned that it was not necessary to have a permit from the Supervisors.  One of the chief reasons he desires to start construction soon on his plans, he said, was that he might require a vested right as a property owner so that he might attack the provisions of the proposed pari-mutuel betting bill which would permit 100 days of racing in Los Angels and San Francisco Counties and only fourteen days in Orange County.  He said he planned to get under way with his establishment, which he said would be as fine as any in America and then attack the race meet provisions of the bill,  if it is passed, as class legislation.

Miller urged that the board support his plans by giving the formal permit becauise of the great economic advantage a race course operated under the state laws, would have on the Seal Beach district.  He was supported in that view by Talbert and by Hugh T. O’Connor, secretary of the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce, by H.L. Bishop, president of the Orange County Conservation League of Sunset Beach and by Elmer Hughes, Mayor of Seal Beach.

When the matter was discussed last week several other communities and organizations through representatives, said that opinion in their sections was practically unanimous for the course.

Former District Attorney Z.B. West spoke in behalf of the application today. To clear the way for Berger to go ahead, the board took action to repeal an emergency ordinance adopted several years ago when the hoof and mouth disease was discovered in this county.  The road is now clear for the start of the race plant, Chairman Willard Smith said.  He said he knows of no reason why construction of the race course should not go ahead promptly.  Aty the previous meeting, Col. Berger said he planned to launch work on his proposition within two weeks.

 

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