An $80-$90 million renovation to the existing grandstand at Churchill Downs Racetrack that will update ticketed seating is scheduled to begin in August with completion planned in time for the 151st GI Kentucky Derby in May 2025, the track said in a Wednesday release.
The renovation of the Grandstand Club will transform existing outdoor aluminum bleachers into a combination of 8,300 new seating varieties. Updated options will include covered and uncovered stadium-style seats as well as rail boxes along the dirt track's outer rail that will offer a “trackside” seating experience where guests will be able to closely watch horses break from the Kentucky Derby Starting Gate. First-floor amenities for the Grandstand Club will include new and upgraded permanent concessions, bars and wagering windows.
The project will also improve and add amenities for 2,800 guests in the existing third floor box seats under the Starting Gate Suites. The Grandstand Pavilion will create a more upscale social environment by converting the existing second-floor amenity area into a covered outdoor garden environment with new concessions, bars and wagering windows.
Expansion to the second floor will create additional space for overall guest circulation and add an outdoor balcony for dining. A new entrance to the Grandstand Pavilion will unify the surrounding exterior architecture.
“Like all of our recent enhancements at Churchill Downs, the renovation of the grandstands represents our commitment to providing unique guest seating options while honoring the historic significance of the property in order to achieve a world class sports and entertainment experience for our guests,” said Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs.
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