Belmont Park Redevelopment construction continues

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.

Project

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

During the construction, the 2024 Belmont Stakes was run at Saratoga Race Course. The 2025 Belmont Stakes will also be run in Saratoga.

The renovated Belmont Park will welcome the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the first time since 2005.

“The transformation of Belmont is incredibly important to the future of racing downstate, and NYRA will deliver a facility that existing fans and the next generation will be proud to have in New York,” New York Racing Association president David O’Rourke said in a statement.

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.

Progress

The Belmont Redevelopment Project began in 2023 and has covered major ground so far. Here are the updates:

• Demolition of the grandstand and clubhouse began in early April and is now substantially complete.
• NYRA preserved and stored Belmont’s extensive collection of racing artwork and murals. The organization also preserved the wrought-iron gates of Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx, the wrought-iron fencing from the club house entrance and the paddock that feature the colors of each of the 13 Triple Crown winners.
• Excavation of the grandstand and clubhouse foundation will begin in September in preparation for construction.
• NYRA is still in the process of renovating the existing main dirt track and two turf courses. It will add a new, all-weather synthetic surface for racing.

NYRA officials said that racing will return to Belmont in 2026 when the project is completed.

The construction of the four new racing surfaces at Belmont is being overseen by Glen Kozak, NYRA executive vice president for operations and capital projects. He managed the extensive track renovations at Aqueduct Race Track and Saratoga Race Course. Kozak and his internal team rely on outside soil engineers and architects with surface analysis and testing provided by the University of Kentucky.

“This is a hugely significant project in NYRA’s history, and it’s an honor to be a part of something that will push the sport into the future,” Kozak said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide the highest quality and most consistent surfaces in racing, and we have assembled a team that will make that goal a reality.”