New Meadowlands Racetrack
1 known investors
Operator of the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, NJ, a harness racing, wagering, sportsbook and events venue.
Also known as Meadowlands Racetrack · Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment · New Meadowlands Racetrack, LLC · The Big M
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC operates the Meadowlands Racetrack, also branded Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment and known regionally as "The Big M," a standardbred (harness) horse racing track at 50 NJ-120 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The company organizes horse racing and entertainment events, providing live racing, wagering and handicapping services, and hosting private and public gatherings for adults interested in horse racing, sports wagering and entertainment.
The facility comprises a one-mile main oval used for harness and thoroughbred racing, with a 990-foot stretch, plus a 7/8-mile turf course for thoroughbreds. Its backstretch includes 16 barns, seven dormitories and 1,454 stalls, with capacity for 1,760 horses and 700 people. Hospitality and event spaces span three floors and include the 6,034-square-foot Trackside room, a 103,763-square-foot outdoor Backyard area for up to 10,000 guests, a second-floor Lounge, the Trotters owner's club, East and West viewing decks, third-floor Skybox Suites with movable walls for groups of 20 to 150, and the Victory Terrace rooftop for up to 500 guests. Dining outlets include the Lounge and Victory Sports Bar, Trotters and the tiered Pink dining room.
The track is the site of the Hambletonian, the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, which moved to the Meadowlands in 1981, and has hosted the Cane Pace, the first leg of harness racing's Pacing Triple Crown, since 2015. It is described as one of the largest sports books in North America.
Business model
The company operates a racing and entertainment venue, generating activity from live harness and thoroughbred racing, pari-mutuel wagering and handicapping services, simulcasting, an on-site sportsbook operated under the FanDuel brand following a 2018 arrangement with Paddy Power Betfair, food and beverage service, and the rental of indoor and outdoor spaces for private and public events.
Revenue is derived from pari-mutuel wagering and simulcasting, sports betting at the on-site sportsbook, admissions and dining, and event and venue hire. A third-party directory estimates annual revenue in the $10 million to $25 million range.
Traction
The track hosts the Hambletonian and, since 2015, the Cane Pace, and its 1997 Championship Meet offered more than $13 million in stakes purses. It has hosted world-record standardbred performances, including a 1:46 4/5 mile by Lather Up in the 2019 Graduate, and non-racing events such as the 2018 AMA Pro American Flat Track Championship final. Directory estimates place employment at approximately 43 people and annual revenue at $10 million to $25 million as of July 2026.
Latest developments
With the closure of Freehold Raceway's live racing and simulcasting operations on December 28, 2024, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment became the only remaining harness racing venue in New Jersey. Third-party business directories estimated annual revenue of $10 million to $25 million and about 43 employees as of July 2026.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
The Meadowlands is described as a world-renowned standardbred racing track and one of the largest sports books in North America, and it hosts the Hambletonian and the Cane Pace. Within New Jersey it is positioned as the last remaining harness racing venue following the closures of Garden State Park Racetrack (2001), Atlantic City Racecourse (2015) and Freehold Raceway (2024), against a backdrop of long-term decline in harness racing attendance and wagering. Business directories classify it as a mid-sized entertainment venue relative to regional peers such as Saratoga Casino Hotel and Tioga Downs Casino Resort.
The venue combines a one-mile racing oval with extensive tiered hospitality and event space, a large sportsbook, and marquee harness racing fixtures including the Hambletonian and the Cane Pace. Its site offers views of the New York City skyline, and it hosts night racing. A private-operator turnaround since 2011 included a rebuilt clubhouse, racetrack realignment, replacement of unused stables with parking and outdoor amenities, and adoption of sports betting following New Jersey's 2018 legalization.
Technology
The company's public web presence uses Microsoft ASP.NET and jQuery, with Google Analytics, Quantcast, Quantcast Measure, AppNexus, AddThis and Twitter widgets.
Go-to-market
The track markets directly to racing fans, bettors and event customers through its thebigm.com website and social channels, live and simulcast race programs, an on-site FanDuel-branded sportsbook, ticketed dining offerings such as the Trotters club at $49.95 per person on Fridays and Saturdays, and rental of banquet, suite and outdoor spaces for weddings, corporate functions, tradeshows and large gatherings. Wagering on its races is also distributed through third-party online wagering platforms.
Adults interested in horse racing, sports wagering and entertainment in the United States, along with horsemen and owners racing at the track and corporate, social and private event clients booking its banquet, suite and outdoor spaces.
Geography
Operations are concentrated at a single site at 50 NJ-120 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, within the Meadowlands Sports Complex, serving customers in the United States. The Meadowlands Rail Line began event service to the complex in 2009.
History
The Meadowlands Racetrack opened in East Rutherford in 1976, holding its first harness race on September 1, 1976, with thoroughbred racing added on September 6, 1977. The Hambletonian moved to the track in 1981, and in 1997 the track established its Championship Meet with more than $13 million in stakes purses. Simulcasting was discontinued in New Jersey in November 1985 and re-legalized the following month after a voter referendum. In 2010 the state considered selling, leasing or closing the track, and in December 2011 the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority privatized it to Jeffrey Gural, chairman and CEO of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC. Clairvest announced an investment in the track in January 2012. The original grandstand closed for racing on November 2, 2013, and the replacement facility opened for simulcasting on November 18, 2013 and officially on November 23, 2013. The track has hosted the Cane Pace since 2015 and added a sportsbook in 2018.
Risks & controversies
Patronage at Meadowlands racing events declined significantly from its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, and the former grandstand was oversized, inefficient and lacked modern amenities, prompting redevelopment. In January 2010 the governor of New Jersey considered selling or leasing the track to a private operator or closing it. The broader New Jersey horse racing sector, particularly harness racing, has experienced falling attendance and wagering, with several state tracks ceasing operations.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 7
launches, deals, and filingsWith Freehold Raceway ending live racing and simulcasting on December 28, 2024, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment in East Rutherford becomes the only remaining harness racing venue in New Jersey.
The Meadowlands Racetrack hosted the championship final of the 2018 AMA Pro American Flat Track Championship motorcycle racing series.
Paddy Power Betfair collaborated with the Meadowlands to establish a sportsbook at the track after New Jersey legalized sports wagering; the sportsbook began operating under the FanDuel brand on July 14, 2018.
The old Meadowlands grandstand closed for racing on November 2, 2013; the new facility opened for simulcasting on November 18, 2013 and officially opened November 23, 2013 with the first night of live fall harness racing.
Clairvest announced it would invest in the Meadowlands Race Track; the position is held through Clairvest Fund IV as a minority, growth-capital investment in the gaming sector.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority privatized the Meadowlands Racetrack to Jeffrey Gural, chairman and CEO of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC, who took over operations.
The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey opened in 1976 and held its inaugural harness race on September 1, 1976; thoroughbred racing began September 6, 1977.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- New Meadowlands Racetrack, LLC Company Overview, Contact Details & Competitors | LeadIQleadiq.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does New Meadowlands Racetrack do?
- Operator of the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, NJ, a harness racing, wagering, sportsbook and events venue.
- Who are New Meadowlands Racetrack's investors?
- New Meadowlands Racetrack's investors include Clairvest Group Inc.