GREAT FALLS, MT——OCTOBER 31, 2014——Cascade County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a contract with the Great Falls Turf Club (GFTC) to conduct a four-day 2015 race meet at Montana ExpoPark.

According to a report in the October 28 edition of the Great Falls Tribune, the contract specifies that the GFTC provide the personnel and horses necessary to conduct races on July 18-19 and 25-26. The GFTC will also provide insurance coverage for the jockeys and meet events, $3,000 for security, and ensure that the stalls and track are maintained on training and race days.

County obligations include paying the Turf Club $50,000 for purses, providing staff and products for concessions, and maintaining the grandstand area. The county will also provide free utilities and water in the barn area from July 1-27.

The contract is subject to the GFTC obtaining approval for the race days from the Montana Board of Horse Racing.

A nonprofit organization, the GFTC was formed to keep racing alive in Great Falls after the county ended it in 2011 and 2012 when no agreement could be reached with other parties. County commissioner Jane Weber thanked GFTC members for bringing back something that “obviously our community enjoys.”