Published on: December 23, 2024, at 11:33h.
Last updated on: December 23, 2024, at 11:33h.
The iconic Palm Beach Kennel Club will be shutting down its original doors and greyhound racetrack that opened in 1932. However, the club’s legacy will continue in a new facility that is set to begin construction next year.
Recently, the Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners unanimously gave the green light to a redevelopment and zoning application from the Palm Beach Kennel Club (PBKC). This approval allows the former greyhound racing and poker room operator to move from its current location along Belvedere Rd. and Congress Ave. to the north end of its expansive 47-acre property.
PBKC is planning to invest $20 million in constructing a 65,000-square-foot casino and kennel at Congress Ave. and Cherry Rd. The new gaming floor will feature a poker room, off-track betting (OTB), and The Paddock, the racetrack’s longstanding restaurant. The on-site kennel will cover 5,200 square feet.
Luxury High-Rise Development Coming
The Palm Beach Kennel Club is selling 42 acres of its property to a real estate development firm that plans to construct a luxury high-rise condominium building. This proposed structure, if approved by the county board, will include 2,000 residences and mixed-use spaces.
PBKC’s application stated, “The relocation of the existing indoor entertainment and parimutuel operations to the northern five acres is necessary to pave the way for the future redevelopment of the southern 42.1 acres, which will serve as a significant catalyst for the redevelopment along the Congress Avenue corridor.”
The chosen location is strategic, as the current entrance to the PBGC, where the luxury high-rise will be situated, is adjacent to Palm Beach International. The airport saw nearly eight million passengers last year, with its busiest routes being Atlanta, NYC, Charlotte, and Boston.
Representatives from the Palm Beach Kennel Club informed county officials that they anticipate opening the new casino and kennel by 2027, operating on a 24-hour basis.
In addition to the casino and kennel, the $20 million investment includes a four-story parking garage with 900 spaces.
It’s important to note that the PBKC’s “casino” is essentially a cardroom limited to non-house-banked poker-based table games. Slot machines cannot be offered on the property as it is not located in Miami-Dade or Broward counties.
The PBKC has partnered with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to promote the tribe’s Hard Rock Bet online sportsbook within the state. Various signs are displayed around the current casino encouraging bettors to sign up, with new account registrations providing benefits to the OTB facility.
In Florida, the Seminoles hold a monopoly on sports betting, offering in-person sportsbooks at their six brick-and-mortar Hard Rock and Seminole-branded casinos. Online betting is accessible statewide through the Hard Rock Bet online sportsbook app and website.
Rooney Racecourses Ownership
The Rooney family has owned the Palm Beach Kennel Club since 1972. This Pittsburgh-based family, known for owning the NFL Steelers, has long been involved in horse and greyhound racing.
In January 2019, the Rooney family sold the Yonkers Raceway in New York to MGM Resorts International for $850 million. Additionally, they own Shamrock Farm in Maryland, which was recently selected by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority to become the $115 million training center for Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.
Despite Floridians voting to ban greyhound racing in 2018, the Rooneys remain optimistic about the future of the Palm Beach Kennel Club. In the 2024 fiscal year of the cardroom, revenue of $16.3 million was generated from operating poker games, making it one of the top earners among Florida cardrooms.