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Since 1867, the Belmont Tournament has been held at numerous locations throughout the greater New York area. It was originally located in the Bronx, but later moved in 1905 to El Monte in Nassau County, a town on Long Island bordering Queens. In 1968, the old Belmont Park was replaced by a larger site designed by Arthur Froehlich.
Now, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Racing Association (NYRA) officials are working with Populous to build a new Belmont Park on the site. The project marks the first surface track construction in the United States in nearly four decades.
“Belmont The park has always been an iconic place for people to gather, and its storied past is filled with trendsetting racing innovations,” said Meg McWilliam, lead designer at Populous. “Partnering with NYRA, Populous is ideally suited to help them realize their new vision Belmont park, respecting the venue’s heritage while reinventing a world-class experience that is approachable, vibrant and unexpected. “
Designed by Arthur Froehlich in 1968, the existing Belmont Park is 1,260 feet long, 300 feet deep, and can accommodate 50,000 guests. Up to 90,000 spectators can attend races around the track, but in recent years fans have been unable to watch races in the paddock due to construction at the neighboring UBS Arena. The upcoming Populous-designed venue will be able to accommodate the same number of visitors in a new 5-story building above the 45-acre infield. It will feature an outdoor terrace on the fifth floor topped by a towering canopy.
While the new Belmont Park will have comparable capacity, its seating and suite arrangements will vary to accommodate flexible seasonal admissions. The new Belmont Park will total 275,000 square feet.
The new facility will feature a variety of club and dining spaces, food and beverage outlets, private suites and a range of indoor/outdoor experiences. There will also be a “winter building” integrated with the new racing venue, which will provide opportunities for thoroughbred racing throughout the year.
The construction project impacts South Ozone Park in Queens. There NYRA operates Aqueduct Racetrack, another thoroughbred racetrack located on 110 acres of land owned by New York State. Upon completion of the new Belmont Park, NYRA will terminate its lease at Aqueduct Racetrack and move all of its downstate operations to the new venue as required by the 2024 enacted budget. Once that happens, 110 acres in Queens will be open for development.
While the new venue is under construction, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held for the first time in the 156-year history of Saratoga Race Course.
The new Belmont Park is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026.
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