Place your last bets, Northville Downs to close on Feb. 3

The Northville Downs racetrack will host its final race on Feb. 3 after 80 years of operation at its current location at 301 S. Center Street, the Michigan Gaming Control Board announced Thursday.

Northville Downs is Michigan's oldest and last remaining nighttime harness racing track and was the first track in the state to offer parimutuel, or pool, betting. It was founded by John Carlo and is still run by the Carlo family today.

The property is slated for a $300 million redevelopment project that will host over 400 housing units, commercial space, and several parks. The Downs will move to Plymouth Township where they have purchased 128 acres near the corner of Five Mile and Ridge Roads, the Gaming Control Board said in a news release.

"The Michigan Gaming Control Board expresses our deepest gratitude to all of the Northville Downs patrons who have made each race day memorable and thrilling," said Henry Williams, Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. "We appreciate the support of those who have kept Northville Downs going for 80 years and look forward to the next chapter of horse racing in Michigan at a new location."

Northville Downs opened in September 1944 as the first Michigan track, and one of the first tracks in the country, to present night Harness racing. By the 1960s, there were four tracks offering parimutuel betting in the state. Attendance hit a high for Michigan horse racing in 1971 with 3.9 million fans, according to the state legislature.

But eventually all of Michigan's racing facilities except Northville Downs closed. Hazel Park Raceway closed in 2018.

Northville Downs wants to build a new harness racing facility on a site 4.5 miles from its current location with the approval of the Plymouth Township Board. The 128-acre site is at the corner of Five Mile and Ridge Roads within the Michigan International Technology Corridor.

Plans were presented to the township board in January 2023, which included building half-mile oval harness racetrack, a 4,900-square foot grandstand, an 18,400-square foot patio in front of the grandstand, a 23,032-square foot racing building, a 35,475-square foot horse barn and a 3,200 square foot maintenance building.

"Roughly a year ago the board of trustees authorized negotiations on a planned unit development with Northville Downs and negotiations have been ongoing for the last year," Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise said.