▁of ▁the ▁re venue ▁from ▁slot ▁machines ▁to ▁the ▁rac etra cks , ▁which ▁respond ed ▁by ▁increasing ▁pur se ▁sizes . ▁However , ▁the ▁subs id y ▁was ▁ab rupt ly ▁removed ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁announ cement ▁that ▁Fort ▁Er ie ▁Race ▁Track ▁would ▁close ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁The ▁track ▁in ked ▁a ▁one - year ▁transition ▁fund ing ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁province ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁which ▁allowed ▁it ▁to ▁open ▁and ▁run ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁plans ▁were ▁un ve iled ▁by ▁the ▁Fort ▁Er ie ▁Live ▁Racing ▁Cons ort ium ▁for ▁the ▁track ▁to ▁host ▁a ▁festival ▁meet ▁around ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Year ▁of ▁the ▁Hor se , ▁with ▁the ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales ▁St akes ▁running ▁in ▁July . ▁The ▁plan ▁also ▁called ▁for ▁horse ▁training ▁to ▁begin ▁in ▁late ▁April , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁point - based ▁racing ▁tournament ▁running ▁through ▁early ▁August . ▁Racing ▁continued ▁on ▁until ▁early ▁October , ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 4 0 0 ▁races ▁across ▁the ▁season . ▁ ▁A ▁cons ort ium ▁led ▁by ▁American ▁business men ▁Carl ▁Pal ad ino , ▁Jo el ▁Castle ▁and ▁Joe ▁M ose y ▁purchased ▁the ▁property ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Pal ad ino ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁planned ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁the ▁track ▁to ▁capital ize ▁on ▁the ▁construction ▁of