Charles Frederick Sarkis (January 30, 1940 – March 11, 2018) was an American restaurateur and dog racetrack owner who founded the Back Bay Restaurant Group and owned Wonderland Greyhound Park.
[6] In December 2013, he closed his final two Massachusetts restaurants, Papa Razzi and Joe's American Bar and Grill in Hanover.
[8] In 1990, 40 people, including Sarkis' father and Wonderland's general manager, were indicted on charges of running an illegal gaming operation at the track.
"[1][3] When Sarkis' restaurant business went public in 1992, he stepped away from the track's day-to-day operations, but remained its majority shareholder and chairman.
[3] Commercial dog racing was made illegal by the Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act, a 2008 ballot measure that passed 56% to 44%.
[11][12] In 1990, Sarkis, entered an agreement to lease Foxboro Raceway from a group run by Eddie Andelman.
[14] Foxboro Park was unprofitable due to an outbreak of an equine virus, a low level of betting, and significant cost overruns during construction.
[15] In 1996, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft purchased the track and moved to evict Sarkis on the grounds that he did not have a valid lease.
Sarkis also suspended a daughter from her job without pay and sought to have another son removed from his position on the Back Bay Architectural Commission.