History
Built in about ten months for roughly $12.5 million, Liberty Bell Park opened in June 1963 with a double-deck grandstand for 30,000. Art Rooney's William Penn Racing Association leased it, and Thoroughbred racing was added from 1969 to 1974.
In October 1985 the track announced it would not race again, and in 1986 the 288-acre property was sold to a developer who built the Franklin Mills mall. A road called Liberty Bell Boulevard is the main reminder of the track.
Why it matters: It was Philadelphia's main harness track for more than two decades.
Timeline
- June 7, 1963
Harness racing began; the first meeting drew 510,646 people over 50 days.
- May 31, 1969First Thoroughbred race[1]
Thoroughbred racing was added and ran until 1974.
- October 13, 1985Closure announced[1]
The track said it would not race in 1986 and put the property up for sale.
- May 12, 1986Property sold[1]
The 288-acre site was sold to Western Development Corp.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Franklin Mills shopping mall (later Philadelphia Mills)[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | Liberty Bell Boulevard access road[2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | Liberty Bell Park Racetrack |
|---|---|
| Location | Northeast Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Harness, Thoroughbred |
| Opened | June 7, 1963[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1985[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 30,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | Double-deck grandstand for 30,000 with parking for 10,000 cars. |
| Construction cost | About $12.5 million[1] |
| Owner / operator | Liberty Bell Racing Association; leased to William Penn Racing Association (Art Rooney) from 1963 |
| Closure | The owners stopped racing after 1985 and sold the land for a shopping mall. |
Sources
- Liberty Bell Park Racetrack, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, events, opened
- Disappearing Act: Revisiting the Sites of Brandywine, Liberty Bell and Garden State, Harness Racing Update. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, opened, remnants
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.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Opening day: Wikipedia says June 7, 1963; Harness Racing Update says June 8, 1963.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.