History
Northville Downs opened in 1944 at Center Street and 7 Mile Road, on the old Wayne County Fair grounds, as Michigan's first night harness track. It outlasted every other pari-mutuel track in the state.
The owners agreed in 2018 to sell the land to a developer, and the final live race was run on February 3, 2024. A plan for a replacement track in Plymouth Township fell through, while the old site is being rebuilt with hundreds of homes, commercial space and parks along a restored stretch of the River Rouge.
Why it matters: Its closure ended live pari-mutuel horse racing in Michigan.
Timeline
- 1944
The track opened as Michigan's first night harness racing track, on former Wayne County Fair grounds.
- February 3, 2024
Michigan's last pari-mutuel horse track ran its final card.
- May 2024Redevelopment funded[3]
State brownfield funding was approved for a $248 million redevelopment with 446 homes and three parks.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Housing, commercial space and parks under construction (planned completion 2026), including a daylighted section of the River Rouge[3] |
| Mapped location | City-level location (exact site not confirmed) |
Venue facts
| Location | 301 S. Center Street (Center Street and 7 Mile Road), Northville, Northville, Michigan[1,3,4] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Harness |
| Opened | 1944[1,4] |
| Last used for sports | February 3, 2024[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Closure | The property was sold for redevelopment; a planned replacement track was not approved. |
Sources
- MGCB announces closure of Northville Downs' current location, Michigan Gaming Control Board. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, opened
- Michigan horse racing faces troubling future as Northville Downs has had its final race, Harness Racing Update. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed
- EGLE approves funding to replace historic harness racing track, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, current land use
- Northville, Michigan, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, coordinates, 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.