GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — A company has purchased Wyoming's only horse track and plans to improve the facility and offer larger purses. The track is popular with Utah gamblers.

The Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission on Wednesday conditionally approved a license for Wyoming Downs' new owner, Wyoming Entertainment LLC.

Eric Spector, the company's president and chief executive officer, said the company bought the track and related facilities from Eric Nelson, who had owned the track since 1998.

"We intend to be good stewards of both racing in the state and in our relationship with the licensing authorities," Spector told commissioners.

Spector said terms of the sale were not being disclosed.

However, he said his company planned to improve Wyoming Downs as well as off-track simulcast locations in Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Casper and Evanston. Starting next year, he plans to have a 19-day season each weekend between July 4 and Labor Day.

"We expect that will be our traditional season," he said.

He also expected to begin offering larger purses. "I think the horsemen and breeders and owners will all benefit positively from that," he said.

Frank Lamb, executive director of the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission, said the sale shows that horse racing is still viable in Wyoming. Horse racing nationwide has faced competition from other forms of gambling and has been in decline.

He said a study before Wyoming Downs was built in 1985 concluded that Evanston was one of two ideal locations in the state for quarter horse and thoroughbred mixed race tracks.

"The potential is still there and the reason is still there ... 2 million people along the Wasatch Front who like to gamble and can't," he said. "And they're only 80 miles away from Wyoming Downs."

More than 90 percent of those who watch and bet on races at Wyoming Downs come from Utah, where gambling is illegal.