Bowie folks are meeting up to brainstorm ideas for the old race track property, even though there’s some uncertainty about its future due to delays from new legislation. They’re looking for public input on recreational uses and will share results from a community survey at the workshop.

Here are the highlights:

  • Bowie residents and stakeholders are meeting to discuss recreational uses for the Bowie Race Track property.
  • The Maryland General Assembly passed a $400 million bill in 2020 focused on the horse racing industry, including the Bowie race track.
  • The bill mandates the Bowie race track property be used for joint recreational amenities by the City of Bowie and Bowie State University.
  • The conveyance of the Bowie race track to the city has been delayed until the end of 2024.
  • The Bowie Race Track Property Task Force is working on recommendations for the property use.
  • A workshop is scheduled for May 13 to gather public ideas for recreational uses and review community survey results.
  • The Bowie Race Track opened in 1914 and was notable for its historical features, including the first public address system.
  • The track closed in 1985, but remnants of its history remain.

Originally Published on May 12, 2023Last Modified on May 12, 2023

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Bowie Race Track Planning Continues Despite Uncertainties

Bowie residents and stakeholders will meet Saturday morning to continue discussing recreational uses for the Bowie Race Track property in spite of a now uncertain future.

In 2020, the Maryland General Assembly passed a byzantine $400 million bill establishing the future of the Maryland horse race industry. The bill focused primarily on significant renovations to the Pimlico horse racing facility in Baltimore as well as improvements to the stables and training facilities in Laurel.

The bill also included a clause conveying the unused Bowie race track property to the City of Bowie by the end of December 2023. The bill requires the property be used for joint recreational amenities by the City of Bowie and Bowie State University, with portions of the property retained by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).

This past legislative session, the General Assembly passed a new bill creating a new horse racing authority and giving itself a year to address higher than anticipated costs renovating Pimlico and the Laurel Race Track. The new bill also delays the conveyance of the Bowie race track to the city until the end of 2024.

In spite of the delay, the Bowie Race Track Property Task Force continues its work. The task force was created by the Bowie City Council to iron out uses for the property with Bowie State University, city residents, M-NCPPC, and other stakeholders.

The group is hosting the next in a series of workshops on Saturday, May 13, from 9am to 12pm at the Kenhill Center. The meeting's goal is to gather additional public ideas for recreational uses at the race track.

The workshop will also review the results of a community survey and past public workshops. The task force will be synthesizing new feedback as it prepares its formal recommendations to the City Council in July.

The Bowie Race Track opened for its inaugural season in 1914, drawing racing fans from Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington D.C. The grandstands were constructed to take advantage of the afternoon sun, allowing meets in cooler times of the year.

The race track saw its share of highlights and tragedies. It featured the country's first public address system, added in 1927. The track closed in 1985, but some structures still remain as a reminder of Bowie's racing history.

For more information, visit www.cityofbowie.org/racetrack, or contact City Planning Director Joe Meinert at jmeinert@cityofbowie.org or 301-809-3045.