The owner of Sam Houston Race Park, Penn Entertainment, told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary this week that it hopes to have a new track located near Austin up and running by the year 2030.
“This depends on a number of factors, including approval from the Texas Racing Committee but I hope it can all be finalized this year,” Bryan Pettigrew, Penn's vice president and general manager of Texas operations, told TRC. “We have been looking at locating the track just outside city limits. It's important to get the right business alignments, as the infrastructure in the area is moving fast.”
The company would be able to host simulcast wagering during the track-building process. Pettigrew also suggested that Penn Entertainment hopes to see legalization of casino gaming return to the ballot in Texas, because such a change would likely allow Texas' purses to increase and become more competitive.
"We have 1,051 horses stabled at Sam Houston for the current meet and I believe we have enough horses in training to run three main tracks in the state,” Pettigrew told TRC. “We would like to offer trainers and owners more options. That we do not have any income from casinos or sports gambling affects our purses. Texans often ship horses out to race in New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma – states where they are able to offer better purses due to revenue from other forms of wagering."
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