Annapolis, MD. (AP) – A Maryland board of directors approved a contract of $ 14.3 million on Wednesday to start the demolition and reconstruction of the Baltimore but outdated Pimlico race course, which houses the second gem of the triple crown, the challenges of Preakness.
The vote of the Public Works Council of three members, which includes Governor Wes Moore, was made 10 days before the 150th Preakness Stakes, which is scheduled for May 17. This will be the last time that the annual horse race will take place with the existing structures in place before the track is rebuilt on the same site. The demolition will start shortly after this year's race.
“There cannot be a better time to announce the start of a transformation that will allow Pimlico to become a hub all year round for economic activity within the Park Heights community,” said Moore about the Baltimore district and the long -standing house of the race.
As part of the plan, the Preakness will take place in Laurel Park, located just southwest of Baltimore, in 2026, while the new installation is built, before returning to Pimlico in time for the 2027 race.
Craig Thompson, president of Maryland Stadium Authority who oversees the design of the new track, said the plan was to make Pimlico the Maryland thoroughbred race. The track will go from the organization of about fifteen races per year to much more than 100, said Thompson.
“This is more than an idea of the racetrack, as historic and important as it is,” said Thompson. “It is a question of bringing hundreds of millions of dollars to public investments to Park Heights.”
Thompson also shared an overview of design plans. They include a new clubhouse with an architecture inspired by the Rawlings Conservatory in the Druid Hill park in Baltimore and the Original Pimlico Clubhouse, which included a column and balconies on the roof, said Thompson.
Last year, the Board of Directors approved an agreement to transfer the Pimlico property of the Stronach group to the state of Maryland to ensure that the prerequisite remains in Baltimore.
The state is struggling with what to do to restore the old race track for decades. Nicknamed Old Hilltop, the track opened its doors in 1870. It was there that the man of the war, the Seabiscuits, the secretariat and many others expressed themselves in the circle of the winner.
But his age has long been a concern. In 2019, Maryland Jockey Club closed nearly 7,000 tribune seats, citing “the security and security of all guests and employees”.
The horse racing industry and other equine industries were the cornerstone of Maryland agriculture, as well as an integral part of the preservation of green spaces.
