Overview
- Belmont Park reopened on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, with a nine‑race card that included the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup headlined by Forever Young and live entertainment from Dierks Bentley.
- The three‑year, $555 million project demolished the 1905 grandstand and replaced it with a five‑story, stadium‑style building that adds 31 suites, new bars and public infield access.
- The rebuild was funded by a $455 million state loan plus about $100 million from the New York Racing Association as part of a plan that moved NYRA operations from Aqueduct so the Queens site can be redeveloped.
- Opening capacity is limited to about 6,000 for the weekend and 4,000 afterward while upper floors and some hospitality spaces remain under construction, with full‑scale plans to host the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup in 2027.
- Project work includes a new inner synthetic (Tapeta) track, renovated dirt and widened turf aimed at improving equine safety, and state estimates of roughly $155 million in annual local economic output and $10 million in tax revenue alongside ongoing concerns about attendance and long‑term subsidy needs.