There is big news coming from Canterbury Park including its estimated $15 million commitment to update the stable area! It’s all all part of the latest stage in Canterbury’s development project in which a 19,000-seat amphitheater will be built. Here’s a letter from Canterbury President and CEO Randy Sampson explaining the details:
Monday, February 7, 2022
Dear Horse Racing Stakeholders:
On Tuesday Canterbury Park will announce development plans for a 40-acre parcel of land on the northeast portion of our property. We have an agreement to sell this land to Swervo Development Corporation, a local development company that intends to build a 19,000 seat amphitheater, with the associated parking and amenities necessary for a venue of this size. We believe this amphitheater is an excellent fit for this location and will continue to enhance our status as a leading entertainment and recreation destination in Minnesota. A press release announcing the proposed sale is attached to this letter.
Our decision to sell this land to create an amphitheater was made with careful consideration of the potential impact on horse racing as well as the community. Swervo, working with the City of Shakopee, has completed an Environmental Assessment Worksheet that evaluated many questions raised by a project of this size. One of those factors is the impact of sound. We are pleased that the sound studies have indicated that due to the direction of the stage as well as the design of the facility and sound system, impact on the surrounding area, including the backside, will be minimal. We look forward to having the sound engineering experts attend a Minnesota Racing Commission meeting to present their findings and address any of your concerns.
However, the footprint of the project will impact 19 of our existing barns. After review of the options, we determined that the best solution is to build six large, modern barns on the eastern side of the present training track and reconfigure the training track to best accommodate these new facilities. A site plan is also attached that shows the location of the amphitheater as well as the proposed improvements to the barn area.
We believe this multi-million dollar investment will modernize our facilities and improve the quality of our backstretch services. We look forward to working closely with the Minnesota Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Minnesota Racing Commission Staff as we continue to refine our stable area investment plans to best fit everyone’s needs and seek MRC approval for the barn area redevelopment.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me or Andrew Offerman at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Randy Sampson
President and CEO
Canterbury Park
(952) 445-7223
