History
A fair association built a grandstand and half-mile oval on the land in 1931, and Maywood Park opened as a harness track in 1946. In June 1947 it aired the first full harness racing program televised in the country, and in 1984 it hosted the Chicago area's first Breeders Crown race.
The track closed in 2015 after its operating association went bankrupt. Demolition began in 2019 and an Amazon distribution center was built on the site in 2020.
Timeline
- 1931Fair grandstand built[1]
The Cook County Fair Association leased the property and built a grandstand and half-mile dirt oval.
- 1946Harness track opens[1]
Maywood Park opened as a dedicated harness track after Illinois allowed parimutuel harness racing.
- June 1947First televised harness program[1]
The first full harness racing program to be televised in the country aired from the track.
- 1984Breeders Crown[1]
It became the first Chicago-area track to host a Breeders Crown race.
- 2015Track closes[1]
The track closed in 2015.
- 2019Demolition begins[1]
Demolition began in early 2019; an Amazon distribution center replaced the track in 2020.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Amazon distribution center (2020)[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | Maywood Park Trotting Association |
|---|---|
| Location | Melrose Park, Illinois |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Harness |
| Opened | 1946[1] |
| Last used for sports | 2015[1] |
| Demolished | 2019[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia says the track could seat at least 33,297. |
| Surface | Half-mile dirt oval |
| Owner / operator | Maywood Park Trotting Association; land owned by the Galt family trust |
| Closure | The operating association was forced into bankruptcy by a federal judgment tied to the Rod Blagojevich scandal, and the track closed in 2015. |
Documented details
- Muhammad Ali won a seven-furlong exhibition race at the track in 1979 to benefit Provident Hospital of Chicago.[1]
Sources
- Maywood Park, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, 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.