What horse racing fans can expect at the new Belmont Park

Elmont’s very own historic horse racetrack at Belmont Park has been under construction for the past year. As the exciting renovations are underway, the Herald is here to update the community about the progress of the historic project.

Overview

The $455 million project, funded by the state, has set out to completely modernize the facilities at the 119-year-old facility.

“It was built for a different era and for a different style of engaging with our sport,” David O’Rourke, president of New York Racing Association, known as NYRA, said of the previous building during a Long Island Association of Small and Mid Size Business Committee meeting on Oct. 1. “It was really built for wagering.”

The new Belmont Park was designed by the architectural firm Populous.

The project outline includes:

• The demolition of the existing 1.25 million-square-feet grandstand and clubhouse. It will be replaced by a 275,000-square-feet building that will feature the “modern amenities” that sports fans expect. The new building will have 7,500 seats while the overall facility will be able to accommodate more than 50,000 fans.
• Vehicular and pedestrian tunnels will provide fans access to the 45-acre Belmont infield for the first time.
• Upgrading the 117-year-old track at Belmont Park.
• Winterized tracks for year-round racing at the facility.

The project is estimated to generate $1 billion in construction-related impact, including $155 million in annual economic activity as well as the creation of 3,700 construction jobs and 740 new full-time positions.

“NYRA is the steward of historic properties so closely tied to Long Island,” O’Rourke said. “Our goal is to create an open and accessible space that balances history while moving Belmont Park into the future. The modernization of Belmont is incredibly important to the future of racing downstate and NYRA will deliver a facility that existing fans and most specifically the next generation can be proud of.”

Updates

The new Belmont Park will be reminiscent of Saratoga Race Course’s atmosphere in ways, as O’Rourke said its “county fair” atmosphere helps attract one million fans over the course of 40 days during its summer racing events.

“That is part of the concept of what we’re trying to deliver at Belmont,” he said. “Now we’ll have a world-class event, as you can see (the) building is quite fancy, but around that building right there is 30 acres of park,” O’Rourke said.

• The increased green space at the property will aim to increase utilization of the property. This space will allow Belmont to host events for racing and other activities.

The new building will start going up in early 2025, according to O’Rourke.

As the Belmont Stakes is one of the top 25 races in the world, O’Rourke said the former facility didn’t really have the venue where NYRA could leverage its popularity. The new Belmont Park will drive international tourism and year-round utilization of the property, O’Rourke believes.

The park is currently on schedule to host the 2026 Belmont Stakes, but the decision to bring the race back at that time has yet to be “set in stone,” O’Rourke said.

The renovated Belmont Park will also host the Breeder’s Cup World Championships for the first time since 2005 after construction has been completed.