Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino

What Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino does

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is a regional gaming and horse racing destination located at 1200 Futurity Drive in Sunland Park, New Mexico, just outside El Paso, Texas. Founded in 1959 as a racetrack and expanded with casino gaming following 1990s New Mexico legislation that permitted slot machines at racetracks, the property integrates four revenue streams under one roof: casino gaming (slots, video poker, electronic table games open seven days a week), live horse racing (Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse) anchored by a 55-day meet, year-round simulcast wagering from tracks worldwide, on-site dining at The Grill, and live weekend music entertainment. The venue is the home of the $500,000 Sunland Derby, a Kentucky Derby prep race awarding 20 qualifying points to its winner, alongside a slate of graded Quarter Horse stakes and the Sunland Park Oaks.

The business operates a transaction-fee revenue model with state-mandated allocations: 26% of gaming revenue flows to New Mexico state taxes and an additional 20% funds the horsemen's account that supports racing purses. The 66th racing season (January 2 – April 5, 2026) carries $16 million in seasonal purse money, with peak days like the 2025 Sunland Derby card generating $4.24M in handle. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer through on-property signage, social media (X, Facebook, YouTube), website promotions, the Players Club loyalty program, and a dedicated mobile application.

In October 2025, Strategic Gaming Management acquired the property for approximately $310 million and simultaneously executed a $183.9M sale-leaseback with Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI), separating real estate ownership from operations. New senior leadership was appointed under SGM, including Fred Heinrich as President of Sunland Park and Matthew Flandermeyer as CFO of the parent entity. Headcount is reported at 251–500 employees. No revenue figure, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or third-party enterprise customers are disclosed in available sources.

Name

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino

Legal name

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino

Website

https://sunland-park.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is a New Mexico racino combining casino gaming, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, simulcast wagering, dining, and live entertainment for the El Paso/Southwest regional market. Acquired by Strategic Gaming Management in October 2025 with property held by Gaming and Leisure Properties via sale-leaseback.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casino & Pari-Mutuel Racetrack Gaming

NAICS

Casinos (except Casino Hotels) (713210), Gambling Industries (7132)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Racinos (Casino + Racetrack) (MPAEAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Racetrack & Race Meeting Operations (MPAEADAA)

Keywords

• Horse racing
• Casino gaming
• Slot machines
• Simulcast wagering
• Live entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Casino Gaming: Gaming revenue from slot machines, video poker, and electronic table games. The casino floor is open 7 days a week with varying hours (Sun-Wed 10AM-1AM, Thu 10AM-2AM, Fri-Sat extended hours).
2. Horse Racing: Live horse racing (Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse) with year-round simulcast wagering from tracks worldwide. Revenue generated from wagering takeout and horse racing purses funded by gaming revenue (26% to state taxes, 20% to horseman's account).
3. Food & Beverage: On-site dining through The Grill restaurant, offering food service adjacent to the casino floor. Hours vary by day (Sun-Thu 10AM-10PM, Fri-Sat 10AM-12AM).
4. Live Entertainment: Live music performances on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays featuring various musical acts including mariachi, bands, and solo artists.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino operates a pari-mutuel horse racing venue combined with a casino floor offering slot machines, video poker, and electronic table games, alongside dining venues and live entertainment programming. The property is located in Sunland Park, New Mexico, and serves adult consumer patrons seeking on-premises gaming, racing wagering, and entertainment experiences.

Product overview

Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is a premier gaming destination in New Mexico featuring a integrated offering of casino gaming (slots, video poker, electronic table games), live horse racing (Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse), year-round simulcast wagering, dining, and live entertainment. The property operates a 55-day live racing season featuring major stakes races including the $500,000 Sunland Derby (Kentucky Derby prep) and the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, plus Quarter Horse events like the Grade 1 $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park. The property includes The Grill restaurant, Players Club loyalty program, and a mobile application. The 66th season of live horse racing began January 2, 2026 with closing day April 5, 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live horse racing Live pari-mutuel horse racing events held at the Sunland Park, New Mexico track, offered to adult racing patrons for on-site wagering.
• Simulcast wagering Off-track pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast horse racing feeds from partner tracks, available to adult patrons at the venue.
• Slot and video poker gaming Casino floor gaming via slot machines and video poker terminals, available to adult guests of the venue.
• Electronic table games Electronic / dealer-assisted table games offered on the casino floor for adult gaming patrons.
• On-site dining Dining and beverage venues inside the property, serving visitors of the racing and gaming operations.
• Live entertainment Live entertainment events and performances hosted at the venue for adult guests and racing/gaming patrons.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26% of gaming revenue contributed to New Mexico state taxes, supporting general fund
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino: New Mexico racino offering live Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing alongside casino gaming. Most directly comparable peer given shared NM regulatory regime, racino model, and Southern NM/El Paso regional catchment dynamics.
• The Downs at Albuquerque (Gigi's at The Downs): Albuquerque-based NM racino combining live horse racing with slot and table gaming. Closest in-state competitor for racing product, purses, and the NM gaming tax structure.
• Zia Park Casino, Hotel & Racetrack: Southern New Mexico racino offering Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing with casino gaming. Directly comparable operating model, market geography, and regulatory environment.
• SunRay Park & Casino: New Mexico racino located in Farmington, providing live racing and casino gaming. Shares the same NM licensing framework, dual revenue model, and rural/regional customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Remington Park: Oklahoma City racino operated by Global Gaming & Resorts featuring Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing plus casino gaming. Comparable racino model with overlapping horse population draws from the Southern Plains.
• Prairie Meadows Casino Racetrack Hotel: Iowa-based racino offering Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing alongside full casino operations. Comparable integrated racino business model with similar purse economics from gaming-funded purses.
• Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort: Arkansas racino and host of a Kentucky Derby prep race with significant qualifying points. Directly comparable as a stakes-anchored racino with national racing prestige and a gaming-floor customer base.
• Tampa Bay Downs: Florida racetrack and Kentucky Derby prep host. Comparable as a stakes-anchored racing operator competing for the same pool of Kentucky Derby-point chasing horses and trainers.

Regional players

• Will Rogers Downs: Oklahoma racino operated by the Cherokee Nation. Comparable regional racino model serving a neighboring state customer base with overlapping horse population and simulcast wagering dynamics.
• Retama Park: Texas Quarter Horse racetrack near San Antonio. Comparable as a regional Quarter Horse-focused racing operator competing for similar horse populations, trainers, and simulcast wagering dollars in the Southern US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SPRacino
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7x63_Y2XDlm6jo-XYjIgvg?view_as=public
• Facebookfacebook.com/sunlandparkhorses

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino