Prairie Meadows facts for kids
Prairie Meadows Logo
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| Location | Altoona, Iowa, United States |
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| Owned by | Polk County, Iowa |
| Operated by | 13-Member Board of Directors |
| Date opened | March 1, 1989 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse |
| Notable races | Cornhusker Handicap |
| Attendance | 2.7 Million Annually |
Prairie Meadows is a fun place in Altoona, Iowa, USA. It's a racetrack where you can watch exciting Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse races. It also has a casino with games for adults.
Contents
Discovering Prairie Meadows' History
Prairie Meadows got permission to open in 1984. This was after parimutuel betting (a type of betting on races) became legal in Iowa. Building work for Prairie Meadows started in 1987.
The first day of racing at Prairie Meadows was March 1, 1989. For a few years, the track faced financial challenges. Racing stopped for the 1992 season. Luckily, money from off-track betting helped racing start again the next year.
Adding New Entertainment Options
On May 17, 1994, people in Polk County voted to allow slot machines at Prairie Meadows. The slot machine casino opened on April 1, 1995. By the end of 1996, Prairie Meadows had earned enough money to pay off its building loans.
On December 14, 2004, Prairie Meadows added casino game tables. This was after the state gave its approval. Many people wanted to play these games. So, on January 25, 2005, the state approved plans to make the building bigger.
Building work for the $60 million expansion began in September 2005. A new part of the casino opened in August 2006. Two new restaurants and a large concert hall opened in February 2007. This concert hall is called "The Meadows" and can hold 1,200 people.
Who Owns and Runs Prairie Meadows?
Prairie Meadows is owned by Polk County. It is run by a group of 13 local people. This group is a non-profit board of directors. This means they don't keep the money for themselves.
The money earned by Prairie Meadows helps many community projects. These projects are in the Des Moines area. For example, some money helped build the Iowa Events Center complex. In one year (ending June 30, 2008), Prairie Meadows made almost $193 million. This made it one of the top casinos in Iowa.
On January 16, 2019, Prairie Meadows announced a partnership with William Hill. This was to get ready for sports betting to become legal in Iowa.
What Prairie Meadows Looks Like
Prairie Meadows has a one-mile dirt track for horse races. It also has a special chute for quarter horses. The casino area has about 1,900 slot machines. It also has casino game tables where adults can play games like poker, roulette, and blackjack. The track area sometimes hosts free concerts by famous music groups.
Exciting Races at Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows holds many important races. These races happen during its season, which runs from April to October.
Major Horse Racing Events
In 2019, these important races were held at Prairie Meadows:
- Iowa Oaks
- Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap
Sometimes, other animals like ostriches have even raced at the facility!
Images for kids
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Prairie Meadows Logo
