Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces Belmont Park to Host 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., has been selected to host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international festival. New York State and the New York Racing Association, Inc. are currently redeveloping Belmont Park, with a $455 million capital construction project set to result in a world-class racing and entertainment destination on Long Island. The historic venue has long been a pillar of New York’s horse racing tradition and is now poised to reach new heights.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 Good morning, and indeed this is a great day for our city and our state. I want to thank Marc for being a visionary. When he first showed me the plan — sort of a sneak preview of what he was doing at Belmont — he was looking so anxiously waiting for my reaction. It's kind of like — none of you are old enough to remember the Mikey commercials with Mikey eating the Life cereal. Remember, “Hey Mikey, he likes it!” You couldn't tell if he was going to like it or not. Look it up. It's cute. But I loved it.

I loved it because it was so brilliant and created this amazing contrast in our own state to have, up in Saratoga, where we'll be for the Belmont for the second year in a row. Kind of the quintessential turn of the last century. This feel of days long past, and then at this other end of our state, we have the future unfolding. It is so fascinating to me.

So when the rest of the world thinks about racing — and God bless Kentucky, I love the governor too — but this is New York. We do things big and bold and audacious. And Marc, you were the person who got that over the finish line.

So you had me at hello. You didn't have to work quite as hard, but we made a big bet on the future of Belmont with a 455 — I don't want to leave you any money on the table — $455 million loan to embark on one of the largest race tracks. It's not just the racing season, it is what you have planned for the off season and the rest of the year, and how we're going to bring the community closer together and make them feel that this is a jewel for them as well. And that's why I was so captivated with this idea.

But this is New York. Therefore it must be world class, world class sports and entertainment. That's how we do things here, and also benefit our incredible story of the past here, and that's why I'm so proud that for the first time since 2005, the Breeders’ Cup will be coming to the Belmont in 2027.

Mark your calendars. October 29th to 30th of 2027, the world's best horses, jockeys, and trainers will ride into Belmont for two unforgettable days of championship racing. And what I love is the keeper of the economy, the 50,000 fans who will follow them. Opening up their wallets to support our restaurants, our hotels, and all of our other attractions, so this is going to be spectacular.

You're going to fall in love with this park. I've been watching the progress closely and this is a place that honors tradition, but also we'll be having high-end dining options and beverage outlets and suites. And as I mentioned, we'll be connecting people to the infield and that's the first time we'll be able to do that as well. And expanding park space. Which is really fantastic.

So the Belmont will feature nearly five times as much outdoor gathering space as we have right now, and it's just going to be amazing. So I just want to say, this is expected to create thousands more jobs and it's already creating jobs with $155 million economic impact for the Long Island area.

But racing overall is a $3 billion industry – $3 billion plus and supports over 20,000 jobs. So I believe in this industry. I believe in NYRA, I believe in Marc's leadership, and I believe in the future of Belmont as the future home in 2027. I can't wait for the Breeders’ Cup.

So you heard it here first. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm so excited to make that announcement. Congratulations to the Belmont. And with that, let me introduce the Breeders’ Cup, CEO Drew Fleming. For saying yes, thank him. Thank him very much.