Revere, Wonderland officials determining track debt

REVERE – With the city doubling its legal efforts to get Wonderland Greyhound Park to pay overdue property taxes, track officials are determining what they owe the city.
That bill currently totals $755,000, city Chief Financial Officer George Anzuoni said Tuesday.
Wonderland representatives asked for a full city account of their debt Monday but did not indicate when they will pay it off and how much of the debt will be reduced.
The city is months away from scheduling a state Land Court hearing on its request to take possession of the $20 million track if Wonderland does not pay its debt.
Anzuoni stepped up pressure on the track by filing a collection action in Suffolk Superior Court. He wants the court to grant the city permission to recover the overdue taxes and sewer bills from the track?s revenue.
Anzuoni said the city initiated similar action as recently as 2004 against local businesses owing taxes. He said the businesses paid their bills before the city secured court approval to deduct tax debts from revenue.
?We got their attention,” he said.
The track slightly reduced its debt in September with a $175,000 payment followed by a $20,000 payment this month.
Wonderland?s August merger with Suffolk Downs included a provision to help Wonderland pay off municipal debts dating back to 2006.
The License Commission is also reviewing the status of Wonderland?s liquor and other licenses on a month-by-month basis and holding off on revocation proceedings contingent on the track paying off its debts. The commission meets next on Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.
The state Racing Commission meets tomorrow at 2 p.m. in City Hall to review Wonderland?s application to host 100 racing days in 2009.
The track also faces a challenge by dog racing foes hoping next Tuesday to convince voters to phase dog racing out by 2010.
Both Suffolk Downs and Wonderland have been operating as pari-mutuel wagering facilities since 1935.
Wonderland previously faced foreclosure, most recently in 2004, when Anzuoni locked a stack of the track?s stock certificates in a safe until the track paid its bills.