Residents of Hardwick, Massachusetts, have voted down a proposed racetrack in their town.
A developer and a horse breeder wanted to build a racetrack and offer sports betting in the small town, which is about 20 miles west of Worcester.
The project required approval from the community. Only 313 residents voted yes, while 831 voted no.
Robert Page is part of a group opposed to the racetrack, which went door-to-door in recent weeks.
"We worked very hard to help people understand and read through this very slick marketing campaign and we read the host community agreement that was floated by these folks and our local young people who live and work and farm here really showed up," he said.
A spokesperson for Commonwealth Racing, the organization behind the project, said he and his colleagues are disappointed by the vote and need to regroup and refocus their efforts.
He left the door open for another racetrack proposal in Hardwick in the future.
