Fairmount Park Plans New Paddock And A Longer 2027 Illinois Racing Season
Fairmount Park Casino and Racing in Collinsville, Illinois, will open its 2027 season with a new paddock, new jockeys' quarters and a new racing office, and will race over a longer calendar.
Owner Accel Entertainment announced the plans on November 10, 2026, after what the track called a record-setting 2026 season.
The 2027 meet will run from April 6 to November 23, with live racing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and on the first Saturday of each month.
The first Saturday card is May 1. The dates were approved by the Illinois Racing Board on September 16, 2026.
For visitors to the Illinois gaming market, the project adds to a venue that already combines a racetrack with a casino floor.
What Is Being Built
Accel said Fairmount Park will debut a new paddock, new jockeys' quarters and a new racing office next season.
General manager Brian Jenkins said it will be the first time in decades the track has had a new racing office and jockeys' quarters.
"We're investing heavily in the track, and we plan to continue to upgrade Fairmount Park in all aspects," Jenkins said. "We are enhancing the facility for our guests, fans, and athletes, continuing our commitment to our rich history."
The work follows upgrades already made over the past year, which Accel listed as a new inner rail, a clubhouse kitchen, a winner's circle, restroom upgrades and new food and beverage options.
A Record 2026 Season
The 2026 meet began in April and finished on October 27. Compared with 2025, Fairmount Park ran 18% more horses, staged 30 more races and welcomed nearly 19,000 more spectators. It also paid out 37% more in purses.
The track drew more than 6,000 people for the St. Louis Derby, which Accel described as one of the most successful Derby Days in the facility's recent history.
On multiple days, it had more horses running than any other track in the country, reflecting bigger fields and improved purses over the past couple of years.
"We set several records this season, and it was a very successful year from start to finish," Jenkins said.
The Racing Board's Approval
The Illinois Racing Board approved 73 live thoroughbred programmes for Fairmount Park in 2027, each with a minimum of seven races a day, on a 6-0 vote. The board said that is 16 more days of racing than in 2026.
Two other applications for 2027 dates, from Hawthorne Race Course and Suburban Downs, were rejected as deficient.
Executive Director Domenic DiCera said Illinois racing faces a "difficult landscape with the closing of Hawthorne" but that he is optimistic heading into 2027.
The board's release does not name any other thoroughbred meet for 2027.
The Casino Side
Fairmount Park also operates a casino. Illinois Gaming Board figures show it reported $2.3 million in adjusted gross receipts for October 2026, up from $1.5 million a year earlier, as part of a statewide total we covered in our monthly casino revenue reporting.
The board's data lists the casino at 9,640 square feet this October against 7,216 square feet in October 2025.
The venue's public data comes from the Illinois Gaming Board monthly reports.
Readers planning a visit can compare local options in our Illinois betting guide.
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