(a) No person shall construct and establish a horse or dog racetrack where horse or dog race meetings are to be held or conducted and the pari-mutuel system of wagering permitted or conducted without a construction permit issued by the Racing Commission in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(b) Any person desiring to obtain a construction permit shall file with the Racing Commission an application therefor. The Racing Commission shall prescribe blank forms to be used in making such application. Such application shall disclose, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) If the applicant be an individual, the full name and address of the applicant;

(2) If the applicant be a partnership, firm or association, the full name and address of each partner or member thereof, the name of the partnership, firm or association and its post-office address;

(3) If the applicant be a corporation, its name, the state of its incorporation, its post-office address, the full name and address of each officer and director thereof, and if a foreign corporation, whether it is qualified to do business in this state;

(4) Whether the applicant, any partner, member, officer or director has previously applied for a construction permit under the provisions of this article or for a similar construction permit in this or any other state, and if so, whether such construction permit was issued or refused;

(5) The name and address of any person who has agreed to lend the applicant money for use in connection with such proposed horse or dog racetrack;

(6) The name and address of any other person who is financially interested in the proposed horse or dog racetrack;

(7) The county where the proposed horse or dog racetrack is to be constructed and established, and if such proposed horse or dog racetrack is to be constructed and established across county lines, the identification of each such county;

(8) Plans showing, in such detail as the Racing Commission may require, the proposed horse or dog racetrack and all buildings and improvements to be used in connection therewith; and

(9) Such other information as the Racing Commission may reasonably require which may include information relating to any criminal record of the applicant, if an individual, or of each partner or member, if a partnership, firm or association, or of each officer and director, if a corporation.

(c) Such application shall be verified by the oath or affirmation of the applicant for such construction permit, if an individual, or if the applicant is a partnership, firm, association or corporation, by a partner, member or officer thereof, as the case may be.

(d) No application for a construction permit for the construction and establishment of a dog racetrack shall be received or acted upon by or a construction permit issued by the Racing Commission for the construction and establishment of a dog racetrack which is to be located within fifty-five air miles of an existing horse racetrack: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit establishment of a dog racetrack in conjunction with harness racetrack facilities existing on and operating as a harness racetrack February 1, 1974, if such facilities are or can be made suitable: Provided, That nothing in this section exempts any such county from the local option provisions of this article.