MGM Northfield Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MGM Northfield Park |
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| Location | Northfield, Ohio | ||||||||
| Address | 10777 Northfield Road | ||||||||
| Opening date | December 18, 2013 | ||||||||
| Total gaming space | 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) | ||||||||
| Casino type | Racino | ||||||||
| Owner | MGM Growth Properties | ||||||||
| Operating license holder | MGM Resorts International | ||||||||
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MGM Northfield Park is a special kind of entertainment place called a racino. It's located in Northfield, Ohio, which is a town close to Cleveland, in the U.S.A. A racino is a place that has both a racetrack for horse racing and a casino with electronic games.
Northfield Park is famous for its harness racing. This is a type of horse race where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a two-wheeled cart called a sulky. The park holds more than 200 harness racing nights every year!
The property is owned by MGM Growth Properties. It is operated by MGM Resorts International, a well-known company in the entertainment business.
Contents
History of Northfield Park
The story of Northfield Park began a long time ago.
Early Days as Sportsman Park
The original racetrack was built in 1934. It was first known as Sportsman Park. Back then, it was used for midget car racing, which involved small, fast cars.
After about 20 years, people became less interested in car racing there. So, in 1956, Sportsman Park was taken down.
Becoming a Harness Racing Track
A famous businessman named Carl Milstein bought the land in 1972. He helped turn it into one of the best harness racing tracks in the country.
One of the most important races at the track is called The Battle of Lake Erie. Many great pacing horses have raced here. These include famous names like Jaguar Spur and Gallo Blue Chip. In 2007, a horse named Maltese Artist won the race. He set a world record time of 1 minute and 49.4 seconds for the mile, with Brett Miller as his driver.
Adding Electronic Games
In 2009, the government in Ohio made a new rule. This rule allowed racetracks like Northfield to add electronic gaming machines. These machines are similar to slot machines.
Northfield Park's owner, Brock Milstein, supported this idea. He helped make it happen. On December 18, 2013, the racino opened with 2,300 video lottery terminals. It was managed by Hard Rock International and was called Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park.
Becoming MGM Northfield Park
In 2018, a company called MGM Growth Properties bought the property. They paid over a billion dollars for it! Hard Rock continued to manage the place for a while.
Then, on April 1, 2019, MGM Resorts International took over. They bought the business operations from MGM Growth. They changed the name to MGM Northfield Park. MGM Resorts now rents the property from MGM Growth.
The track has a fun nickname: "The Home of the Flying Turns." Its motto is "Every nineteen minutes the place goes crazy," which refers to the excitement of the races.
Entertainment and Dining
MGM Northfield Park offers more than just horse racing. It has several areas for visitors to relax and enjoy themselves.
Trackside Lounge
In 2008, the Trackside Lounge was built. This is a modern sports bar. It has many flat-screen TVs where you can watch different sports. You can see horse races from Northfield and other tracks. You can also watch major sports games like baseball, basketball, and football.
The Trackside Barbecue is nearby. It serves delicious ribs and pulled pork sandwiches. You can eat this food in the lounge or in the barbecue tent.
The RaceBook
The RaceBook is another special area. It was updated around the same time as the Trackside Lounge. It also has many flat-screen TVs and private areas. Here, people can place bets on horse races happening at other tracks around the world.
Cedar Downs
Cedar Downs is a unique place owned by Northfield Park. It's the only place in Ohio where you can bet on races that are happening at other tracks, away from the main racino. This is called "off-track betting."
Cedar Downs is located in Sandusky, Ohio. It's right near the entrance to the Cedar Point Causeway. Northfield Park bought this facility in 2005.
