There are two race tracks in the greater Boston region: Suffolk Downs and Raynham Park. Neither runs races. Both see sports betting as the reason they still take up space.
When the legislature finally OK’d sports betting in Massachusetts, the two tracks received an invite to apply for a license, according to the Boston Globe.
Raynham Park dog track has not hosted a race since 2009 when the state outlawed the practice.
Suffolk Downs last had the thoroughbreds run in 2019.
Both track owners retained simulcasts, first in the hopes of securing a casino license. That failed. Now, they see sports betting as the next chance for success.
Raynham Park’s owners, the Carney family, owns the simulcasting operation at the former greyhound track. Sterling Suffolk Racecourse (SSR) also still accepts simulcasting bets at the former Suffolk Downs.
“We hung in there,” said Chris Carney, who runs Raynham with his father, George. “Fortunately, the legislature put us in a great position. There are only five bricks-and-mortars, and we are one of them.”
The company got ahead of the game, laying the foundation for a new sports betting venue which could open in time for the Super Bowl 2023.
“We do think a stand-alone simulcast and sports book facility will be a popular draw,” said Chip Tuttle, SSR’s chief operating officer. “SSR is very excited about the way the legislation turned out and is looking forward to what’s next.“
Both owners expect a barrage of calls from the larger sportsbook names: DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM.
Carney pictures a 30,000-square-foot facility, enough to accommodate more than 2,000 people. SSR proposes a 25,000 square foot room. The license requires each company to spend a minimum of $7.5 million in capital improvements over the first three years.
Carney will open its location adjacent to its existing building. Much of the remaining track acreage—100-plus acres—expects to be earmarked for warehouse development. The sportsbook will occupy around 13 acres. Depending on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approval, the Carney’s would open a temporary sportsbook in the simulcast location.
The family anticipates a $24 million investment, with $1 million on big-screen TVs.
Carney says he plans a unique venue, unlike the sports-betting areas in casinos.
SSR—a partnership that includes businessmen Joe O’Donnell and Richard Fields, as well as New York-based landowner Vornado Realty Trust—has yet to find a location. They sold Suffolk Downs to developer The HYM Investment Group after failing to secure a casino license. But they could negotiate with HYM for a location in Suffolk Downs.
