<p>The county has more than $200,000 in grants that could help build a new horse racing track, but officials aren’t yet sure if they want it.</p>
<p>This year, the county received two grants from the state and a horse racing group that could help build a new racing track at the Johnson County Park, in the southern part of the county.</p>
<p>The half-mile horse track at Hoosier Horse Park has been an addition county officials have been discussing for more than a year.</p>
<p>But officials want more information on how much the track would cost to build because they know the grants won’t cover the full cost, county parks superintendent Megan Bowman said.</p>
<p>The next step would be to work on designs for the facility, but that work has not been started, she said.</p>
<p>“There are still quite a few steps before we can make a decision,” she said.</p>
<p>And the county would also need to find ways to come up with money to match what was awarded in the grants, county commissioner Brian Baird said.</p>
<p>Officials have two years to make the decision or return the money, Baird said.</p>
<p>The track would give the Indiana Standardbred Association a venue in Johnson County similar to ones at county fairgrounds across the state. The park would be used for training, standardbred harness racing and quarter-mile horse racing, which do not allow betting because of state regulations and guidelines. The facility also would have barns, stables and a veterinarian facility, officials have said.</p>
<p>If built, the horse track would be the 10th facility on the Indiana Standardbred’s schedule and would host about five events per year.</p>
<p>But the county could also use the facility, and it fits well with the horse park’s other equestrian facilities, commissioner Ron West said.</p>
