But the track is used just 12 days a year.
The May, 2018 Supreme Court Of The United States decision to overturn the ban on sports betting in 46 states, along with US territories and the District of Columbia has not save Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland. At least not yet. Maryland has not implemented sports gambling which could go into the old facility. Now Baltimore is suing Pimlico’s owners to make sure the Preakness Stakes doesn’t leave Baltimore for another Maryland racetrack after the 2020 race. Baltimore wants to take over the track. The Preakness Stakes, thoroughbred racing’s second oldest Triple Crown race started at Pimlico in 1873. The race moved to the Bronx, New York in 1890 and returned to Baltimore in 1909. It is not unusual to see 100,000 people attend the race at Pimlico which is 149 years old and is in need of major renovations. The Preakness will be running at the aging track through 2020. After that, it is not clear where the race will be run. Perhaps nearby Laurel Park. The Maryland Stadium Authority, which among other entities has the Baltimore Orioles baseball stadium and the Baltimore Ravens football facility and funds the venues upkeep and pays off the facilities debt, is trying to figure out what to do with the old track. It could cost between $250 million and 320 million to modernize the place and horse racing is a sport that has seen an incredible drop in popularity. It does attract people for a onetime event like the Preakness. Pimlico is only running live racing 12 days in 2019.
