A hearing held at the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control office in Richmond yesterday morning could cause lower ticket sales and deter planning for the annual spring Foxfield races, scheduled to take place in 10 days.
As a result of a decision made after the hearing, the Equine Sporting Event license of the Foxfield Racing Association will be suspended for 15 months, but the races will continue as planned, assuming Foxfield complies with three conditions set by the hearing.
The conditions require the presence of one uniformed security officer for every 200 tickets sold, the addressing of all violations of public intoxication by Foxfield's private security force and a payment of $8,000 by Foxfield to Virginia ABC for the cost of the investigation.
Foxfield Marketing Director Anne Browne said she believes the hearing was an effort by Virginia ABC to hinder plans and attendance to the races.
"This is definitely planned to coincide with our race time," Browne said. "It's causing confusion, which is unfortunate at this date, but we will proceed as we always have and the races will run on April 26."
Browne also cited lower ticket sales as an effect of the hearing and other actions taken against Foxfield by the Virginia ABC.
"It has caused confusion and it has absolutely affected ticket sales," she said.
Virginia ABC accused Foxfield of allowing noisy and disorderly conduct and persons believed to be intoxicated to loiter on the premises, she said.
A Virginia ABC spokesperson was unable to comment on yesterday's hearing proceedings.
"The final order or the decision will present ABC's side," Virginia ABC Spokesperson Becky Gettings said before the ruling was handed down.
One of the main points addressed at the hearing was the presence of 13 Virginia ABC agents who videotaped individuals, some of whom were intoxicated, at last year's race. The agents failed to help the intoxicated individuals, Browne said.
"I think one of the big points that was made was that there were 13 ABC agents here but none of them made any arrests," she said. "Instead, they videotaped individuals, some who were impaired, but did nothing to help them."
Virginia ABC claimed that their agents were present at Foxfield last spring in "observant capacity only," Browne said.
Foxfield Racing Director Patrick Butterfield said he believed the taping was an attempt to gain evidence against Foxfield.
"ABC were there to gather destructive evidence against Foxfield," Butterfield said. "They had no constructive purpose."
Foxfield will be promoting several programs to encourage proper conduct at the races, including Safe Ride Home and Savvy Fox, which provides medical care for intoxicated attendees.
"We're promoting safe behavior with the hopes that the students will react in the same manner," Browne said.
According to Browne, negative behavior seldom occurs at the races.
"The majority of students behaved extremely well and responsibly, and we applaud them," she said. "But there is a small fraction who practice unsafe behavior and they will not be tolerated at the races."
The hearing ran from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the ruling was reached yesterday evening.
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