Wonderland owners pay Revere $752,301

Sum takes track out of foreclosure

Wonderland Greyhound Park's payment for back taxes, taxes, and utilities was made in time for a reapplication hearing for its license with the State Racing Commission this afternoon. (JASON JOHNS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE/FILE 2007)

REVERE - Owners of Wonderland Greyhound Park wired a lump sum payment yesterday of $752,301 to the City of Revere to cover two years' worth of back taxes and utility bills, as well as the first two quarters of the current tax year, including interest, city officials said.

The payment makes the track current on its debts to the city through Dec. 30, takes it out of foreclosure, and comes just in time for a reapplication hearing for its operating license this afternoon with the State Racing Commission.

"I would assume that that had something to do with it," Mayor Thomas G. Ambrosino said of the timing of the payment. "I'm very happy that they made the payment. It allows them to continue operating."

Track owners, who have also been in the middle of revocation hearings on their liquor and parking licenses with the Revere License Commission, made the payment on the heels of a collections suit the city filed against them Friday in Suffolk Superior Court. But James J. Cipoletta, the track's attorney, said the payment wasn't made in response to the suit.

"The track had expected to pay, from the proceeds of refinancing and restructuring debt, a sizeable amount of money to the city a couple of weeks ago," Cipoletta said. "But the closing on the refinancing agreement was delayed by the lenders until this week."

City officials moved to foreclose on the track in July for failure to pay $789,293 in taxes and $16,674 in water and sewer bills dating back to 2006. Despite its delinquency and a lien that had been placed on the property in June 2007, the track continued to receive annual liquor and parking license renewals from the License Commission, in violation of a local ordinance. Ambrosino asked the License Commission last July to move forward with the revocation hearings, which he said are now moot.

Before yesterday's payment, the struggling racetrack and the commission were in the middle of discussing a payment plan. The track paid the city $175,000 last month and $20,000 this month, said George M. Anzuoni, Revere's director of finance.

Richard Dalton, president of Wonderland Greyhound Park, said: "Wonderland and all of its employees would like to thank Mayor Ambrosino and the Revere Licensing Board for their patience and support in addressing the track's obligations to the City of Revere. We have enjoyed a lengthy and successful partnership with the City of Revere and we look forward to the progress and opportunities that lie ahead."

The future of the racetrack, which opened in 1935, is threatened by a proposed ban on dog racing in the state, scheduled for a vote Tuesday. In August, Wonderland and neighboring Suffolk Downs agreed to a partnership that would aid them in a possible bid for a casino.

"They're looking forward to putting this behind them," Cipoletta said. "It creates a better climate for their business."

Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com