Turf Paradise Betting Horse Racing Tracks

Turf Paradise 's third owner, Robert Walker purchased the track in 1989 and moved it into the off track betting area. Walker and a consortium of horse racing interests successfully lobbied the Arizona Legislature to legalize off track betting (OTB). What started out as a single OTB site grew to over 45 in-state OTB's and over 900 out-of-state locales, located in six different countries.

Turf Paradise was purchased in a stock acquisition by California-based Hollywood Park in 1994 under the chairmanship of R.D. Hubbard. 2000 provided Turf Paradise with a new owner in Jerry Simms. The self-made multi-millionaire purchased Turf Paradise for $53 million. Simms put in a $5 million renovation plan. Both the Clubhouse and Turf Club were completely renovated and re-styled. Simms also had the main track and turf course renovated, and in the summer of 2003, Simms built a $125,000 equine swimming pool in the stable area of the race track. The pool provides advanced horse therapy for more than 2,200 thoroughbreds.