© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
(Elmont, NY) — The New York Racing Association is marking a major milestone at Belmont Park.
Governor Kathy Hochul helped celebrate a topping out ceremony as the final beam was placed on the redevelopment project that includes a 300-thousand-square foot amenity and hospitality building, along with a new barn and dormitories.
That doesn’t mean work on the live horse racing track is done since the grandstand is set to be complete in 2026. Racing won’t return to Belmont Park until 2027 so that means the 2026 Belmont Stakes will once again be held in Saratoga while work wraps up.
The $455 million renovation, funded by a state loan, to transform the 119-year-old venue into a modernized, multi-purpose sports and entertainment destination. The venue is being winterized to accommodate year-round racing activities, with a new one-mile synthetic track in addition to the traditional dirt and two turf courses. The new layout will include tunnels allowing access to the infield for the first time in the park’s history, along with more park-like green spaces for fans and the community.
