The Boston Herald reported in March that anti-greyhound racing group Grey2K USA recently bought 50 shares of Westwood Group Inc., which owns Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere, Mass.
The group apparently bought the stock in order to have a platform at the next Westwood shareholders meeting to raise issues both about what it sees as cruelty to dogs at Wonderland as well as to oppose efforts by Westwood Group chairman Charles Sarkis to take the company private.
Westwood Group has been trying to hold a vote on taking the firm private, but was recently blocked by state regulators who maintained that the proposed $4/share buyout price was too low. Regulators want Westwood to figure in potential profits from a possible state legalization of slot machines at Wonderland.
The Boston Herald reported that when asked about the possibility of animal rights activists showing up at the next shareholders meeting, Sarkis said, “I have the gavel. I won’t tolerate any of their nonsense.”
Source:
Race foes get stock to protest buyout try. Scott Van Voorhis, The Boston Herald, March 21, 2003.
Sarkis firm ordered to halt buyout vote; fraud alleged. Beth Healy, The Boston Globe, March 19, 2003.