Dog-gone Wonderland Shuts Down

The Globe reports that Wonderland Park "told employees this morning that it is suspending business operations after 75 years of business, succumbing to state law banning greyhound racing and the Legislature’s failure to pass laws allowing casino gambling."

75 to 80 workers appear to have lost their jobs.

A State House News Service article posted just yesterday summarizes the park's financial straits, including missed purse fund payments to the also-struggling Plainridge Racecourse, and includes this bit of no-longer-prescient foreshadowing:

“[Employees are] past the idea of long-term thinking,” said [Wonderland president Dick] Dalton. “They’ve resigned themselves to the fact that the glory days of Wonderland are behind us.”

Dalton said Wonderland would consider shuttering if no gambling agreement is reached, but professed “guarded optimism.”

Since the ban on dog racing took effect, the only races at Wonderland have been on simulcast screens.

(Edited to update Globe link.)