In order to accommodate horsemen from around the world and a crowd in excess of 50,000 for the 2004 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie will began Phase I of a $7.8 million capital improvement plan. To mark the start of the project, a brief groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, November 20.

At the groundbreaking, officials unveiled a detailed timeline for the three-part capital improvement plan, which will involve both permanent and temporary projects. The event is expected to generate about $60-million in short-term economic impact for the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area.

Lone Star Park currently has a seating capacity of 10,000 and a total capacity of approximately 40,000. The capital improvement plan will enable the racetrack to expand its seating capacity to more than 50,000.

The Texas Legislature voted last year to earmark up to $2-million in state funds to support the capital improvements. On June 28, the Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corp. unanimously approved a resolution to grant the North Texas track $2.9 million for facility improvements in order to host a future Breeders’ Cup. The agreement cemented all the necessary funding for Breeders’ Cup improvements to the five-year-old racetrack.

“All the necessary funding is in place,” said Lone Star Park President Corey Johnsen. “To stage a championship event of this magnitude, it’s imperative to have strong local and statewide support. We are grateful that both the City of Grand Prairie and the State of Texas have showed tremendous support for Lone Star Park and the sport of horse racing.”