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Gov’t made 'significant' offer to family owning land @ Ellis Thomas Downs- Premier

- said it is now awaiting a response from the Thomas' family
Horseracing came to a halt at Ellis Thomas Downs in September 2022 after the government was issued a directive to discontinue utilising the portion of lands owned by the Thomas family. Photo: VINO/File
 Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has indicated the Government of the Virgin Islands is awaiting a response from the family responsible for the Ellis Thomas Downs land in Sea Cows Bay, which will determine the future of horseracing. Photo: GIS/File
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has indicated the Government of the Virgin Islands is awaiting a response from the family responsible for the Ellis Thomas Downs land in Sea Cows Bay, which will determine the future of horseracing. Photo: GIS/File
The government had advised the public via a press release on September 8, 2022, that 'effective immediately and until further notice the portion of land at the Ellis Thomas Downs which is owned by Thomas family may not be utilised in any way by the Government, its agents and/or assigns. This includes the Horseowners’ Association, and any person connected thereto.' Photo: VINO/File
The government had advised the public via a press release on September 8, 2022, that 'effective immediately and until further notice the portion of land at the Ellis Thomas Downs which is owned by Thomas family may not be utilised in any way by the Government, its agents and/or assigns. This includes the Horseowners’ Association, and any person connected thereto.' Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has indicated the Government of the Virgin Islands is awaiting a response from the family responsible for the Ellis Thomas Downs land in Sea Cows Bay, which will determine the future of horseracing.

The popular horse races came to a halt at the venue in September 2022 after the government was issued a directive to discontinue utilising the portion of lands owned by the Thomas family.

While there were speculations at the time that government may have owed money on the lease, this had been debunked by Dr Wheatley.

During a panel discussion titled ‘Let’s Chew on the Issue’ live-streamed on the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Facebook page on April 6, 2023, Dr Wheatley responded to a question that was sent in by a member of the public with regards to when the issue will be sorted out.

The Premier reminded that the Dr D. Orlando Smith administration had signed a lease contract with the Thomas’ family for the track, which he noted was a very difficult one since the government was basically receiving the ‘short end of the stick’.

Issues arose under NDP in 2017

He noted that every 5 years, the lease comes up for rent review, however, issues had arisen in 2017.

“Since 2017, I think the past administration kind of told them, [the family] well they can’t deal with it because of the storms. Even though, I mean, it’s supposed to be paid in February of the year and the storms were in September, but be that as it may there’s supposed to be rent reviews every 5 years. So, they missed that rent review in 2017. I think the family was a bit disgruntled by that, but then we come around to 2022 and do negotiations and we discovered some anomalies with the lease, and so based on those anomalies we’ve been trying to negotiate with the family,” Dr Wheatley noted.

The premier went on to state that the family has requested increased rent and the government is trying to agree to a comfortable figure since it does not want to abuse the taxpayers' coffers.

‘Significant increase’ offered to Thomas family- Premier

“So that’s where we left it at. We put forward something…it was certainly an increase, you could say a significant increase, but it's to see whether the family would accept the offer that we have made. Nothing has really happened since we put forward that offer. We’re waiting on the family to come back to us and let us know whether the offer was acceptable to them or not,” he added.

The Premier said government has sought to be responsible by negotiating a comfortable lease since the family had expressed that they were unhappy with what they were initially receiving.

“They wanted it increased and we of course put forward an increased figure to the family…So right now that is definitely the hold-up. The Deputy Premier can confirm that, because he was in on those negotiations and we made a very passionate plea to resolve the matter and we’re just waiting on the family to get back to us. And as soon as the family agrees we can move forward and have horse- racing again,” he noted.

$1.5M put into horseracing track each year- Premier

Dr Wheatley also noted that government has appealed for a lease which would allow for sub-leasing so as to invite a third party other than government which is interested in investing in the track and introducing activities such as simulcasting, parimutuel which will make it more sustainable, as well as to do some proper investments on the infrastructure.

“People may not even know how much money we paid towards the track…right now we pay probably about a million dollars just to one family…we are putting upwards of probably 1.5 million dollars into the track every year…this year we put that kind of money in it and we didn’t get any use out of it, which is really a shame,” Dr Wheatley stressed.

19 Responses to “Gov’t made 'significant' offer to family owning land @ Ellis Thomas Downs- Premier”

  • WOW (14/04/2023, 15:49) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Is all l have to say
  • WTF (14/04/2023, 15:50) Like (29) Dislike (1) Reply
    I might get backlash for what I am going to say but I am going to express my sentiments anyway. When people do business with government they try to bleed them not realizing that we are bleeding ourselves. Come on family let us be patriotic and deal with government with fair minded ethics. Let us get this popular sports back in our community. It is missed. Thanks to my family for being patriots who care for country above self.
  • time will tell (14/04/2023, 16:00) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
    government is wasting tax payers money here. find an alternative site and purchase it
  • Gate Receipts (14/04/2023, 16:11) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    We only hear about how much money the Government spends on the horse track but what is never discussed is how much of the gate receipts are returned to the Government. The Government pays for the rental lease as well as upkeep. Now tell us how much has been returned to the Government over the years. Why is the Horseowners Association retaining all the collections when the Government spends, spends and spends, if such is the case?
  • Hmm (14/04/2023, 16:13) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    That thomas girl is really something else
  • WELL HALLELUIAH (14/04/2023, 16:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    WE HAVE GROWN TO USING THE UK AS SCAPEGOATS FOR EVERYTHING , SO WHY STOP NOW , ( WE DON'T NEED A COI , FOR ANOTHER GREEDY BILL , OR DO WE ?
  • tola (14/04/2023, 20:17) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Government have so many land fix up on and use it for horse race than behind these greedy ass family.
  • Strange (14/04/2023, 22:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's a wonder he didn't blame Fraser
  • Me (15/04/2023, 04:26) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    If that family does not want horse racing to go on they should be made to pay back all the taxpayers money that was invested to build the track. Horse racing has been an asset for the community and country. If it must be just for self interest, then the peoples money must be retrieved.
  • bvi (15/04/2023, 07:29) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    See how thinfs comw out amd greedy ass lesmo outthere making it look like tje govermemt is to blame ,,,tbey are tbe resonwe have no horse race we are big grown ass adults be to colecting his big cash have people thing its the vip fsult when ots theNDP meglect lesmo make seem like the vip is at fault wjwnthe family greedy ..i will not vote for lesmo tell he to go treat his employees faily amd pay his ataff fairly
    Lesmo and the NDP FOOL THIS COUNTRY set a vampias
    • @bvi (15/04/2023, 13:41) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Please keep your thoughts to yourself if you're going to be making those typos. Or you can't spell.
  • Political analyst (15/04/2023, 07:40) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    This issue needs a long-term/longer-term solution. Horse racing has become a common good which the public has grown accustomed to. Government plays a major role in supporting the sport as a means of public entertainment. But the big question is should not horse racing be a private sector operation? Is horse racing a rivalrous and excludable service? And if so are there opportunities for private sector investment? Nevertheless, long-term solution is needed. Under the current arrangement, the land owners have the advantage and can leverage that position to determine whether there is racing horse or not which is currently the case.

    Government of if it is going to stay in horse racing business needs to look at other options. Undoubtedly, the Thomas family is making the decision that is in their family best interest. They are holding on to the land and receiving receiving revenue. Land ownership is a cultural and heritage identity in the BVI. Moreover, horse racing needs some certainty. Typically, horse racing is a private sector operations. But in a small locale like the BVI with an approx 30,000 population private sector interest at this juncture may be low. So if government must get fully engaged in horse racing, it may need to enter into a long-term lease with the Thomas or other families and then outsourced the operations to a private sector entity or look at other locale, ie, Anegada(??), etc. In any event, government must avoid being held over the barrel uncertainty every five years.
  • Josiahsbay (15/04/2023, 09:52) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Business is a self-interest game on both sides of the coin. The government needs to decide if it's in the best interest of the people to subsidize the use of the tract or create profit-generating activities for the track or move on.
  • home boy (15/04/2023, 10:33) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don’t worry they are building a beautiful racetrack in St thomas,we will race down there.
  • Government ridic (15/04/2023, 11:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thats why VIP must ho yall acting like is only there horse racing can happen .. and why is money the issue wen horse racing is a big ting.... thomas family money hungry and the gov allowing it
  • Native Tongue (15/04/2023, 18:22) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Take hires racing Anegada, paraquita Bay or Cox Heath.
  • Rubber Duck (15/04/2023, 21:52) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    WTF is the government doing involved in horse racing?

    Ridiculous.
  • WEW (16/04/2023, 14:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    How much? Careful Slow the Gov is watching


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