The new and improved Yonkers Raceway, completely refurbished after a $240 million construction project to accommodate its Empire City casino, opens tonight for a nine-race card of live harness racing, the first pari-mutuel races held at Yonkers since June 25, 2005.
Racing will be held five nights a week, Friday to Tuesday, with first post at 7:40 p.m. except Sunday, when post time is 5 p.m.
Yonkers also opens today for simulcasting, to be held seven days a week from noon to about 1 a.m.
Empire City at Yonkers, located on the first and second floors of the clubhouse, houses 2,400 video lottery terminals, with plans to expand to 7,500. The casino, open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., opened Oct. 11 and quickly became the most profitable VLT operation so far at eight racetracks in New York State.
“All of us at Yonkers Raceway are tremendously excited to bring racing back,” general manager Bob Galterio said. “I can’t thank the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, our horsemen and fans enough for their patience and support, and we plan to reward them with a world-class product going for serious money.”