It will be more than two years before horse racing fans hear a trumpeter’s “Call to the Post,” but the architectural layout of the redesigned Belmont Park was unveiled Monday.
At first glance, it might be worth the wait.
The New York Horse Racing Association has released an artist’s rendering of what Belmont Park will look like when it reopens in 2026.
The 1.25 million square foot building and massive grandstand will be replaced with a leaner, more average 275,000 square foot building, providing guests with the latest amenities and hospitality sports fans demand, including private suites and a restaurant. Masu.
The new facility, located just a stone’s throw from the UBS Arena, has the same seating capacity as the old facility: 50,000.
More recently, the number of spectators at the Belmont Stakes was limited to that number, but in 2004 more than 120,000 fans watched Birdstone win.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who approved a $455 million loan to NYRA to build a world-class sports and entertainment facility in Elmont, updated the project timeline and said: . York’s oldest sporting venue. The new facility will support year-round racing, support thousands of new jobs for Long Islanders, and provide an enhanced experience for customers attending the iconic Belmont Stakes for generations to come. ”
The layout shows new grandstands overlooking the four new racetracks. Two turf/grass tracks will be covered by the main dirt course, while a new synthetic surface will be placed on the inside of the other three tracks.
Belmont has always had more space for patrons who want to picnic in the park than NYRA’s other tracks, Saratoga and Aqueduct, but because of the smaller facility, the amount of available green space ranges from 6.94 acres to Increases to 36.45 acres.
Demolition of the current grandstand and clubhouse will begin this month and continue through July. The new Belmont he plans to begin taking shape in 2025.
The Belmont Stakes, the “Test of Champions,” will be held at Saratoga both this year and next, but NYRA’s plan is for the final jewel of the Triple Crown to be held at Belmont in 2026 prior to the full Open. It is. It is scheduled for September.
Will it be ready in time for the Breeders’ Cup Championship? Time will tell.
The Breeders’ Cup has announced a commitment to add the new and improved Belmont to its venue rotation.
David O’Rourke, NYRA President and CEO, said: “This transformation will secure the future of thoroughbred horse racing in New York State, create thousands of jobs, and drive tourism to Long Island and the region for decades to come.” We are a global standard. We are committed to building a world-class destination, and we thank Governor Hochul for the opportunity to completely reimagine Belmont. ”
