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LONDON (Dow Jones)--Horseracing event organizer and racecourse operator Arena Leisure PLC (ARE.LN) said Monday first-half pretax profit fell 15% on year, in part due to the cost of its new hotel, and said it remains cautious about the outlook for attendance numbers and spend per head at its tracks. Pretax profit fell to GBP936,000 from GBP1.1 million a year earlier, which it said was due in part to GBP498,000 of costs related to the Marriott Hotel at its Lingfield Park track. The firm staged 88 fixtures in the six months to June 30, nine fewer than in the same period a year earlier, and is expected to stage 353 fixtures over the full year compared with an original schedule of 356. Total attendance at its racecourses in the half fell to 282,000 from 286,000. Arena said average attendance would have been higher but the soccer World Cup tournament dented visitor numbers throughout June. Sales dipped to GBP30.1 million from GBP30.9 million, which Arena said was as a result of a GBP1.1 million reduction in industry funding from the Horserace Betting Levy. The body assesses and collects monetary contributions from bookmakers and the Tote through a levy, which it then distributes. However, levy spending is expected to be cut next year, which Arena has previously warned will dent 2010 and 2011 profit. -By Hannah Benjamin, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9298; hannah.benjamin@dowjones.com Order free Annual Report for Arena Leisure PLC Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0000219260 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 (END) Dow Jones Newswires August 02, 2010 02:39 ET (06:39 GMT)