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Belmont Park is officially back — and it looks a whole lot different.
The historic Elmont racetrack reopened Friday, Sept. 18, following a three-year transformation, ushering in a new era for one of Long Island’s most recognizable sporting venues.
Greater Long Island was there for opening day, getting an up-close look inside the completely reimagined $550 million Belmont Park — from its sleek new grandstand and expanded fan areas to the track and paddock that will eventually welcome the Belmont Stakes back home.
[Scroll down for a photo tour.]
The new five-story, roughly 300,000-square-foot grandstand replaces the sprawling former structure and serves as the centerpiece of the redevelopment. It was designed to create a more modern, intimate racing experience while opening up significantly more of the property for green space and fan access.
For opening weekend, only the first two floors of the grandstand are open, with the upper levels and additional hospitality spaces expected to be completed in early 2027. Belmont opened Friday with a capacity crowd of 6,000.
Among the biggest changes is the overall layout.
The new Belmont was designed with year-round racing in mind and features four racing surfaces: the traditional 1½-mile dirt track, two turf courses and a new one-mile Tapeta synthetic track that will allow racing to continue during the winter months.
Fans will also eventually have access to Belmont’s infield through newly constructed tunnels, allowing the property to expand well beyond the grandstand during major events. The full complex is expected to accommodate more than 50,000 people for marquee days such as the Belmont Stakes.
The redevelopment also brings new bars, dining areas, betting spaces and premium hospitality options, including the Champion Suites overlooking the stretch and finish line.
Those climate-controlled suites will range from intimate gathering spaces to larger rooms capable of hosting up to 50 guests, complete with indoor seating, outdoor stadium-style seating and private balconies.
Friday’s reopening began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYRA officials before the first race went off at 1:30 p.m.
The nine-race opening-day card was highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup — and one of the biggest horses in the world delivered.
Japanese superstar Forever Young captured the race under jockey Ryusei Sakai, adding another major victory to a résumé that includes the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Jockey Club Gold Cup also serves as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Country star Dierks Bentley also performed as part of the reopening celebration.
Belmont Park had been without live racing for more than three years while the massive redevelopment took shape, with downstate racing temporarily shifted to Aqueduct and the Belmont Stakes moved to Saratoga.
Now, after the half-billion-dollar overhaul, racing has returned to Long Island.
And Friday was only the beginning.
The Belmont Stakes is scheduled to return to its longtime home in 2027, when the new Belmont Park will also host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the first time since 2005.
Scroll through Greater Long Island photographer Eric Micallef’s photos below for a look inside the new Belmont Park.
Photos
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