The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has signed a wide-ranging partnership with sports marketing, media and technology company Playfly Sports to drive revenues for the new-look Belmont Park, which is in the midst of a $455m (£355m/€421m) redevelopment project.
Playfly will serve as the sponsorship sales, premium hospitality and ticket partner for the new Belmont Park, which is set to reopen in 2026.
As part of the three-year deal, Playfly will work with NYRA’s corporate partnership sales team on commercial strategy and valuation of the new venue, marquee asset sales representation, and hospitality strategy and sales representation.
The partnership builds on prior collaborations between NYRA and Playfly, which have focused on driving hospitality and sponsorship opportunities at Saratoga Race Course. Most recently, Playfly assisted NYRA with valuation and sponsorship elements for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which was held at Saratoga due to Belmont Park’s unavailability.
In March, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a project timeline and additional updates on the Belmont Park revamp. A series of renderings designed by global architecture firm Populous were also released.
The existing 1.25-million-square-foot structure will be replaced with a building measuring roughly 275,000 square feet that will feature modern amenities and hospitality offerings. The new building will begin to take shape in early 2025.
It is hoped the project will generate $1bn in construction-related economic impact and create 3,700 construction-related jobs. In May last year, the NYRA secured a $455m loan from New York State to build new facilities at Belmont Park.
David O’Rourke, NYRA president and chief executive, said: “NYRA is committed to delivering a new and reimagined Belmont Park that will appeal to existing racing fans while attracting a new generation to a world-class sports and entertainment destination on Long Island.
“Our goal is to construct a facility that will set the global standard for horseracing venues, and Playfly Sports will help to tell that story in the months and years ahead. NYRA looks forward to working with Playfly on this transformational project.”
Craig Sloan, president of Playfly, added: “Playfly is a full life-cycle agency, and this partnership with NYRA encompasses our diverse and comprehensive suite of offerings to help the organisation drive new revenue and increase brand recognition. We are proud to be NYRA’s chosen partner and look forward to developing new and innovative activations as we look ahead to the future of horseracing.”
