History
After Kansas voters approved pari-mutuel racing in 1986, The Woodlands opened in 1989 and drew 1.7 million people in 1990. Competition from Missouri riverboat casinos, approved in 1993, cut attendance below 400,000 by 2000, and the track went bankrupt in 1996.
The track closed effective August 24, 2008. Phil Ruffin bought it in 2015, put it up for sale in 2020, and the facility was demolished in March 2021 to make way for a planned Amazon fulfillment center.
Timeline
- 1989Track opens[2]
The Woodlands officially opened after Kansas legalized pari-mutuel racing.
- 1990Peak attendance[2]
Attendance peaked at 1.7 million in the track's second year.
- 1996Bankruptcy[2]
The track went into bankruptcy; William M. Grace restructured it out of bankruptcy in 1998.
- August 24, 2008Track closes[2]
Howard T. Grace closed the track effective August 24, 2008.
- July 2015Bought by Phil Ruffin[2]
Phil Ruffin bought the property.
- March 2021Demolition[2]
The track was demolished.
The site today
| Physical status | Demolished[2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Slated in 2020 for an Amazon fulfillment center (completion not confirmed in the source)[2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | The Woodlands race track |
|---|---|
| Location | 9700 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas City, Kansas[2] |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Greyhound racing, Horse racing |
| Level | Greyhound |
| Opened | 1989[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | August 24, 2008[1,2] |
| Demolished | March 2021[2] |
| Physical status | Demolished |
| Owner / operator | Original owners including Dick Boushka; William M. Grace (from 1998); Howard T. Grace; Phil Ruffin (from 2015)[2] |
| Closure | Declining attendance amid competition from Missouri riverboat casinos; the owner closed the track in 2008. |
Documented details
- Attendance fell from 1.7 million in 1990 to under 400,000 by 2000, after Missouri voters approved riverboat casinos in 1993.[2]
Sources
- Greyhound racing in the United States, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, opened
- The Woodlands (race track), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, owner operator
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.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.