History
The Palm Beach Kennel Club opened in 1932 and was owned by the Rooney family from about 1970. When Amendment 13 took effect, it was the last Florida track running: its 15th and final race of December 31, 2020, had a post time of 11:59 p.m.
The Rooneys kept the betting licenses and a five-acre parcel for a planned new casino, and in September 2026 sold 26.1 acres to Terra and Frisbie Group for the Westgate Village development.
Why it matters: It hosted the last greyhound race in Florida, long the center of the American sport.
Timeline
- 1932Track opens[4]
The racetrack first opened.
- December 31, 2020
The club ran its final 30 races on New Year's Eve; the last post was set for 11:59 p.m., ending greyhound racing in Florida.
- September 2026Land sold for Westgate Village[4]
Terra and Frisbie Group bought 26.1 acres for $19.5 million for a 1,145-unit residential and retail project.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
|---|---|
| Current use | Simulcast wagering continued after live racing ended; 26.1 acres sold in 2026 for the Westgate Village residential and retail development[4] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Location | 1111 North Congress Avenue, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Florida[4,6] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Greyhound racing |
| Level | Greyhound |
| Opened | 1932[2,4] |
| Last used for sports | December 31, 2020[1,2,3,4] |
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
| Capacity notes | The former track property covers about 42 acres. |
| Owner / operator | Rooney family (from 1969/1970)[1] |
| Closure | Florida Amendment 13 (2018) banned greyhound racing from January 1, 2021. |
Sources
- Dog days of Florida come to an end, with total demise of U.S. greyhound racing within sight, NBC News. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, owner operator
- Greyhound racing in the United States, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, opened
- Palm Beach Kennel Club runs its last live greyhound races, WPTV. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed
- Terra, Frisbie grab more of ex-Kennel Club land in $20M Westgate deal, Hoodline. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, current land use, events, opened
- GeoNames search: kennel club (US) - Palm Beach Kennel Club, ID 6942409, GeoNames. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates
- Palm Beach Kennel Club map, Mapcarta (OpenStreetMap). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, coordinates
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- NBC News quotes Patrick Rooney Jr. saying the family has owned the track since 1969; Hoodline says Art Rooney Sr. acquired it in 1970.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.