Wind Creek Hospitality, the business arm of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Nov. 18 purchased Alabama’s Birmingham Race Course, according to AL.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In a Wind Creek Press release, the tribe wrote that it plans to turn the track “into a premier entertainment destination in the Southeast and will continue to offer parimutuel and historical horse racing games currently in operation.” The tribe already owns and operates four casinos on native land in Alabama.
The track, which opened in 1987, hosted horse racing until 1995. It also started offering dog racing in 1992, which turned out to be a boon for the track. But in 2020, the track quit on dog racing, as well, amid Covid-19 shutdowns. There are only two dog tracks remaining in the U.S., both in West Virginia. Dog racing is still legal in Alabama, though no tracks offer it.
The sale of the track is one more wrinkle as Alabama lawmakers prepare to introduce sweeping gambling legislation in 2025 for the second consecutive year. According to CBS 42, both the Senate and House bill sponsors say they will bring bills during the session, but have not revealed details.
