Iowa Greyhound Park bets rise again, but future still dicey

greyhound-racing

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Betting on races at Iowa Greyhound Park in Dubuque rose by 14% this year, but the park’s future and that of greyhound racing still look dicey.

The Telegraph Herald reports that the wagering at the park and other facilities on the Dubuque races is up for the fourth year in a row. This year’s season ended Sunday after 104 days of racing.

General manager Brian Carpenter says, however, the park is far from being financially viable on its own. It continues to reap the subsidy benefits of a 2014 agreement that allowed Dubuque’s Mystique Casino & Resort — now Q Casino and Hotel — and the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs to sever ties with the greyhound industry.

He also says the projected end of greyhound racing in Florida and Arkansas could cripple the industry as a whole.