Curtis Sampson, 87, Passes; Revived Minnesota’s Canterbury Park In 1990s

Curtis Sampson, Chairman Emeritus of Canterbury Park Holding Corporation, died Thursday at the age of 87. Sampson is well-known for reopening Canterbury Park horse track in Shakopee, Minn., in 1994 and leading it to the successful publicly held gaming, entertainment and development company that it is today.

Under his chairmanship, Canterbury Park was transformed from a shuttered facility into one of the most attended racetracks in the nation through a unique blend of entertainment and a relentless focus on its family-friendly atmosphere. Canterbury Park expanded beyond racing in 2000 with the launch of the Canterbury Card Casino under Sampson's leadership. Recently, the company has announced a significant redevelopment plan to maximize the surrounding property secured during his chairmanship.

Throughout a career that began in 1955, Sampson was instrumental in the formation and growth of several multi-million dollar telecommunications companies, all while operating out of his hometown of Hector, Minn., where he was born in 1933.

Sampson graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1955 with a Business Administration degree. After working three months as an accountant in Minneapolis, he returned to Hector and remained there until his death, first helping build Minnesota Central Telephone, then Midwest Telephone Company, and in 1970 forming Communications Systems Inc. (CSI). Later in his career came North American Communications Corporation (NACC II) in 1986 and in 1990, CSI formed Hector Communications Corporation which was eventually sold, with great returns to shareholders, in 2006.

Sampson had become involved in racehorse breeding in the 1980s along with his son Randy and they raced the family horses at what was then Canterbury Downs. The track flourished initially but quickly faltered, losing $10 million in 1992, its final year of operation before closing.

Curt and Randy along with South St. Paul businessman Dale Schenian purchased the racetrack and surrounding property in 1994, took the company public later that year, with Curt as Chairman of the Board, Schenian as Vice Chair and Randy as company president. In 1995 live horse racing returned to the state at the newly branded Canterbury Park.

During his speech while being inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame in 2012, Sampson said that “horse racing and horse owners need a track” to be successful. He thought it possible to turn a business that lost millions of dollars into a profitable venture but more importantly he knew what it could mean for those involved in the industry. “It had taken our whole team [at CSI] 15 years to generate 1,500 good jobs. In one fell swoop, by buying Canterbury, there could be 1,500 people back to work.”

It is that dedication to people and an industry he had come to love, that is ingrained in the culture of Canterbury and was the trademark of any Sampson business. Curt created a culture of loyalty, ethical business dealings, honesty, and community service.

In 2012, his leadership was instrumental in a partnership created with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, owners and operators of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, just three miles from Canterbury. A cooperative marketing and racing purse enhancement solidified the future of racing and breeding in the state.

Curt is survived by wife Marian, daughter Susan, and sons Randy, Paul and Russ along with 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

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Canterbury Park, Greystone Construction Partner To Develop 13 Acres Of Canterbury Commons

Canterbury Park Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: CPHC) (the “Company”) and Greystone Construction (“Greystone”) announced Monday that the two longstanding Shakopee, Minn. companies have formed a joint venture to develop a 13-acre land parcel located on the southwest portion of the 140-acre Canterbury Commons. Canterbury Park, who is contributing 13 acres of land to the joint venture valued at approximately $261,000 per acre, will hold a roughly 62% interest in the venture. Greystone will provide development, management and construction services for the project and will hold a roughly 38% interest in the joint venture.

Canterbury Park and Greystone envision a multi-use development that will feature up to six pad-ready sites and two internal roads. Potential uses within the new 13-acre development are expected to include hospitality, dining, residential, commercial offices and service-oriented retail. In addition, Greystone, a general contractor with projects in more than 27 states, will relocate its corporate headquarters to a newly constructed 26,000 square foot office at the site. The joint venture has commenced initial site work, and Greystone intends to break ground on its new headquarters in the fall of 2020 with occupancy expected in 2021.

“From the very beginning, our vision for Canterbury Commons has been to attract residential, hospitality, commercial, entertainment and retail elements that enhance and strengthen the economy and social experiences in Shakopee and beyond,” said Randy Sampson, Canterbury Park President and CEO. “This new joint venture with Greystone represents a critical and positive step toward expanding the programming of the Canterbury Commons development beyond residential and into potential commercial, retail and dining offerings which will drive visitation to Shakopee and expand the city's tax base. We're delighted to partner with a leading Shakopee company and excited to become their neighbor as they bring their employees to Canterbury Commons in a few years.

“This is an exciting time for Canterbury and Greystone as well as the future of Shakopee, and this new joint venture represents further progress in the ongoing transformation of our excess land into a vibrant new community. This new partnership, combined with the development of the Triple Crown Residences and our two recently announced land sale agreements, is unlocking new value for the Company's stakeholders as we continue to monetize the excess real estate that surrounds the Racetrack and Card Casino at Canterbury Park.”

“Shakopee has been home to Greystone Construction since its inception in 1987. We have experienced steady growth since our modest beginning and we have designed and built projects throughout the United States,” said Kevin O'Brien, President and CEO of Greystone Construction. “That being said, it is always special to complete projects in our home town. Greystone has made its mark in Shakopee partnering with many of the great businesses located here to build facilities that provide for growth in production, services and employment. We are very excited to partner with another great Shakopee business and corporate citizen in Canterbury Park. In addition to working with Canterbury Park to develop these 13 acres, this provides us with the opportunity to build a new corporate headquarters. Growth has dictated the need for this space. However, the decision to stay here in Shakopee was based on the amenities the Canterbury Commons development plans provide. Our goal is to build a first-class corporate headquarters, which will help us attract and retain the top talent in our industry. The amenities being built in the Canterbury Commons development will help in providing the atmosphere we want to create for the Greystone Team.”

Canterbury Park and its development partners are currently transforming 140 acres of underutilized land into Canterbury Commons. Development began with the 2018 joint venture agreement between Canterbury and Doran Companies with the two-phase Triple Crown Residences of over 600 units at completion. In April 2020, the Company announced two real estate sales agreements for an aggregate 14 acres of land that will add 160 more residential units to the site. Increased access to the development site at Canterbury Commons was made possible by the completion of city streets in 2019 and the upcoming completion of Unbridled Avenue on the northern border of the property in fall 2020.

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