History
Bay State Raceway opened on September 1, 1947, and drew more than 10,000 people a night at its peak, with a record 16,006 in 1970. Owner E. M. Loew offered land next to the track for the Patriots' stadium, completed in 1971.
The track closed in 1989, reopened as Foxboro Park in 1992 with Thoroughbred and harness racing, and was bought by Robert Kraft in 1996. After a court fight the operator left in July 1997, and the vacant track was torn down in 2000 for Gillette Stadium.
Timeline
- September 1, 1947Bay State Raceway opens[2]
About 12,000 people attended the first night.
- 1970Record crowd[2]
A record 16,006 attended; owner Loew offered adjoining land to keep the Patriots in New England.
- 1976Sold and renamed[2]
Loew sold the track to Foxboro Associates for $9.6 million.
- December 1989Closure[2]
The track closed after lease payments were missed.
- May 27, 1992Reopens as Foxboro Park[2]
The track reopened with Thoroughbred and harness racing.
- May 29, 1996Kraft purchase[2]
Robert Kraft bought the property for $16 million.
- July 29, 1997Operator ordered out[2]
The track operator was ordered to vacate; a Boston Globe article titled 'Last Race' is dated August 3, 1997.
- 2000Torn down[2]
The vacant track was torn down during construction of Gillette Stadium.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Gillette Stadium[2] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Other names | Bay State Raceway (1947–1976); New England Harness Raceway; Foxboro Raceway |
|---|---|
| Location | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Harness, Thoroughbred |
| Opened | September 1, 1947[2] |
| Last used for sports | 1997[2] |
| Demolished | 2000[2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Capacity notes | Record crowd of 16,006 in 1970; no seating capacity given. |
| Owner / operator | Founded by E. M. Loew, Paul Bowser and Ed Keller; Foxboro Associates (1976); Robert Kraft (1996) |
| Closure | Robert Kraft bought the property in 1996 and won a court case to remove the racing operator in 1997. |
Documented details
- Schaefer (later Foxboro) Stadium was built next to the raceway in 1971.[2]
Sources
- Gillette Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates
- Foxboro Park, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.