Belmont Park Reopens After $555 Million Overhaul as New York Bets on 10,000-Seat Racing Hub
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 19
Belmont Park Reopens After $555 Million Overhaul as New York Bets on 10,000-Seat Racing Hub
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 19
Summary
Belmont Park resumed racing Friday after more than three years, unveiling a $555 million rebuild that shrank the grandstand to about 300,000 square feet from 1.25 million.
The redesign aims to keep horse racing viable by consolidating downstate operations at Belmont, adding four rebuilt surfaces and year-round uses while replacing Aqueduct, which closed in June after 132 years.
Opening weekend attendance was capped at 6,000 because only two floors are finished; the venue will hold roughly 10,000 indoors and up to 50,000 for the Belmont Stakes.
NYRA funded the project with a $455 million state loan plus $100 million of its own, planning a 46-day fall meet with $17.7 million in stakes before the Belmont Stakes returns next year.
The reopening highlights horse racing's wider strain: more than 40 U.S. tracks have closed since 2000, and Americans wagered nearly $167 billion on sports in 2025 versus about $11 billion on horse racing.