Maryland officials to vote on Pimlico demolition plans ahead of Preakness
Published by John on
Final preparations for the long-planned demolition of the Pimlico racetrack this summer will begin soon after next week’s Preakness Stakes, state officials said ahead of a Wednesday vote by the Maryland Board of Public Works to approve the demolition contract.
After years of delays, the upcoming Preakness will be the last at the current Park Heights facility. It will take place at the Laurel Park racetrack in Anne Arundel County next year before returning to a redeveloped Pimlico in 2027.
Officials overseeing the project expressed confidence in that timeline Tuesday as they prepare for demolition in late June or July, followed by construction of a new site aimed at driving more economic activity to the area.
“This is more than just about a racetrack and racing,” said Craig Thompson, chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority that will oversee construction. “As historic and important as it is, it’s really about bringing hundreds of millions of dollars in state investments to the Park Heights community.”
The Board of Public Works — which includes Gov. Wes Moore, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Treasurer Dereck Davis — will vote Wednesday on approving $14.3 million for the demolition and start of construction. The board approved about $890,000 in pre-construction work for the same contractor last October.
State legislators approved $400 million in state bonds in 2024 to finance the project that is set to remake the state’s horse racing industry with the new racetrack and a new training facility in Carroll County. The Board of Public Works is also set to approve $4,480,000 to purchase that training site, which will be known as “Shamrock,” in Woodbine.
