FLORENCE, Ky. — Wednesday night was big for Turfway Park Racing and Gaming. It was the first time in years fans were welcomed back for live racing.

“This is the very first time since March of 2020 that the iconic Turfway Park has welcomed live racing fans,” said Michael Taylor, president of Turfway Park and Newport Racing and Gaming.

Among the crowd was Kevin Mohan, who calls himself a bit of a horse racing junkie.

“I used to come here for many, many years. I used to race some horses and run them here years ago," he said.

There are other ways to catch a race, but Mohan said nothing beats that in-person experience.

He and other fans were welcomed into a new facility. Taylor said while fans were away, they built a new facility from the ground up. It’s a multi-million dollar investment that includes $26.5 million in the back stretch alone— plus new barns, a vet barn and an entirely new experience for fans.

“We have, of course, a beautiful owner’s suite for the owners of the horses that are racing. We have a phenomenal outdoor space as well. We will have seating out on the apron, and of course, from a dining perspective, we have a forty table dining right along the finish line and then plenty of space here for general admission,” Taylor said.

He said it should be a unique experience for people, but they believe this will allow for a higher caliber of racing. Mohan said it’s great to be back.

“The facility itself looks fantastic. Great that they’re doing the new barns, the new track surface—it’s all good for the safety of the horses, so it’s great,” he said.