Kawartha Downs Unveils 50th Anniversary Schedule Including Two-Year Master Plan Project

Kawartha Downs is going all-in for its 50th anniversary.

The racetrack has released its 2022 lineup and given Master Plan details to revitalize the facility over the next 18 months with entertainment facilities announced on Wednesday.

Richard Weldon, Kawartha Downs managing director was representing the subsidiary of Romspen Financial Corp. during the media conference on Wednesday. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Romspen Investment Corp. — the subsidiary of Kawartha Downs — has approved the Master Plan which is a $30 to 50-million-dollar investment that will require Provincial and Federal support within a three-part plan.

The track is building several new amenities including:

• Large outdoor concert venue with a 15,000 person capacity

• An indoor concert venue with 3,000-4,000 seats

• A full-scale, permanent tractor pull facility with a spectator capacity of over 5,000 people

• A new convertible horse/cattle and exhibit space

• A 220-room hotel

• One FIFA outdoor soccer field

• Over 4000 parking spaces

Richard Weldon, Kawartha Downs managing director says the project will not only become a tourist hub but a way to generate employment opportunities all-year round.

“This is where we want people to stay,” said Weldon. “They grow here, we have some housing to support them but we have a major event here of employment, we have all kinds of events, we have entertainment and we have everything for people to stay."

The Downs will experiment with bringing in small-business opportunities such as a pop-up high-end steakhouse, Friday night rib fests with dancing and local acts and a newly renovated retro diner.

Opening day for the track is on May 28 which will feature a classic car show with over 200 vehicles from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., a 2 p.m. concert by Kim Mitchell, harness racing at 6 p.m. and a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. — that will also be displayed again on July 2/3 and Aug. 5 — that contains $100,000 of fireworks over four displays.

July 2 will feature a Festival of Retro Music and a fireworks show. The following day will have a Festival of Country and Western Bands with evening fireworks.

On Aug. 5, the Downs will hold a tractor pull, agricultural fair, country/western concert to be announced and the fireworks show finale.

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