Emerald Downs
Emerald Downs is a privately held Thoroughbred horse racing track and entertainment venue in Auburn, Washington, founded in 1996, offering live and simulcast pari-mutuel wagering, themed family events, dining, and group hospitality to Pacific Northwest racing fans and entertainment seekers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersAuburn, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Emerald Downs does
Emerald Downs is a privately held Thoroughbred horse racing track and entertainment facility located at 2300 Ron Crockett Drive in Auburn, Washington, in continuous operation since opening on June 20, 1996. The venue runs a seasonal live racing schedule (Friday evenings at 7 PM and Saturday/Sunday afternoons at 1:50 PM), closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and layers in national and international racing content via a 5th-floor simulcast wagering room operating Wednesday through Sunday. It serves three primary customer groups: horse racing enthusiasts and pari-mutuel bettors, families and general entertainment seekers drawn by themed events (Corgi, Wiener Dog, Bulldog, and T-Rex races, plus Fireworks Spectacular and cultural celebrations), and corporate/group event clients, with a secondary base of horse owners and trainers (e.g., Cinco Vino Stables, George Todaro) who supply the racing product.
The core technology is a physical racing and simulcast wagering infrastructure augmented by an online wagering partnership with 1st Bet (1st.com), the official Emerald Rewards loyalty program, and a ticketing portal hosted at tickets.emeralddowns.com on the accesso ShoWare platform. Additional on-site assets include the Washington Racing Hall of Fame, multiple dining venues (Paddock Grill, Classics, Quick Pix Cafe, Tastyville, Winner's Food Court), the Gift Horse gift shop, and a Clubhouse Casino currently closed until further notice. The facility is co-located with Muckleshoot Casino Resort and broadcasts specialty events on ESPN/ESPN2.
Revenue is generated through multiple streams: pari-mutuel wagering takeouts on live and simulcast racing, event admissions (general $10; Fireworks $15 advance / $20 gate; VIP trackside $100; cigar event $75), on-site food and beverage, premium parking at $25 per vehicle for special events, Emerald Rewards loyalty economics, and sponsorship/advertising deals with brands including Muckleshoot Casino, Pacifico, Leafguard, and Lucky One Lemonade. Distribution runs through on-track wagering, off-track betting locations, simulcast, the 1st Bet online platform, and the proprietary ticketing portal, with marketing executed through the corporate website, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp, email, and ESPN/ESPN2 broadcast.
Emerald Downs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Emerald Downs
- Legal name
- Emerald Downs
- Website
- https://emeralddowns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Emerald Downs is a privately held Thoroughbred horse racing track and entertainment venue in Auburn, Washington, founded in 1996, offering live and simulcast pari-mutuel wagering, themed family events, dining, and group hospitality to Pacific Northwest racing fans and entertainment seekers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Emerald Downs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering Venue
- NAICS
- Racetracks (711212)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Racetrack & Race Meeting Operations (MPAEADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Racecourse Hospitality, Sponsorship & On-Track Experiences (MPAEADAM)
Keywords
Where Emerald Downs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auburn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Emerald Downs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Live Racing and Wagering: Core revenue from live horse racing including pari-mutuel wagering takeouts, admission fees, and on-track betting
- Simulcast Wagering: Revenue from simulcasting horse races from other tracks, allowing wagering on national and international racing content
- Food and Beverage: On-site dining including Paddock Grill, Classics, Quick Pix Cafe, Winner's Food Court, and various food vendors
- Event Admissions: Ticket sales for special events including fireworks, dog races, ethnic heritage celebrations, and holiday events
- Sponsorship and Advertising: Sponsorship deals with brands including Muckleshoot Casino, Pacifico, Leafguard, Lucky One Lemonade, and others
- Parking Fees: Premium parking sales at $25 per vehicle for special events, with free general parking available
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General admission for regular racing events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fireworks Spectacular special event |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fireworks VIP Trackside Pavilion |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cigar Event admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Parking fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Emerald Downs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Emerald Downs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track and entertainment venue in Auburn, Washington that operates live racing meets, simulcast wagering on national and international races, online betting through a partner platform, on-site dining across multiple venues, group and private event hosting, and a loyalty program. The facility supplements core racing with themed entertainment events such as Corgi World Championship Races, T-Rex Races, fireworks spectacles, and cultural celebrations, and runs seasonal operations Wednesday through Sunday.
Product overview
Emerald Downs is a horse racing venue in Auburn, Washington offering live Thoroughbred racing, simulcast wagering, and online betting. The facility operates multiple dining venues and hosts special themed racing events including dog races (Corgi, Wiener Dog, T-Rex), fireworks displays, and cultural celebrations. Additional offerings include group event hosting, the Emerald Rewards loyalty program, an on-site gift shop, and a casino (currently closed). The track runs a seasonal racing calendar with stakes races, live racing on weekends, and simulcast wagering throughout the week.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live Horse Racing
Quantifiable outcome
- Season-high $2,498,375 handled on Father's Day 2026 race card
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Emerald Downs
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Emerald Downs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Emerald Downs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Muckleshoot Casino ResortminorMuckleshoot Casino Resort logo appears on Emerald Downs website as a partner/sponsor. The casino is co-located with the racetrack facility in Auburn, Washington.
- 1st Bet (1st.com)coreEmerald Downs Bet Now partnership for online wagering. 1st Bet provides the online betting platform for Emerald Downs customers to place wagers remotely.
- PacificominorPacifico beer brand sponsors dog racing events including Bulldog Races at Emerald Downs.
- LeafguardminorHome services sponsor that has partnered with Emerald Downs for Family Fun Weekend events.
- Lucky One LemonademinorPresenting sponsor for Fab Friday weekly racing events. Brand logo and presence featured at Friday night events.
- ESPN/ESPN2coreNational broadcast partnership for specialty events including Corgi World Championship Races and T-Rex World Championship Races. Events aired later in summer on ESPN2.
- Auburn Valley Humane SocietyminorCharitable partner receiving portion of proceeds from Corgi World Championship Races weekend event.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Emerald Downs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Penn Entertainment: Operates multiple regional racetracks and casinos across the US. Comparable as a regional racetrack + casino operator with pari-mutuel and gaming revenue streams, though at much larger multi-property scale.
- Churchill Downs Incorporated: Owner/operator of Churchill Downs racetrack and a portfolio of US racing and wagering assets (e.g., Derby City Gaming, Exacta, HRM). Comparable to Emerald Downs as a pari-mutuel horse racing and gaming venue operator, but operates at national scale and publicly traded.
Direct peers
- Del Mar Thoroughbred Club: Iconic California summer thoroughbred meet with strong brand, themed events, and high attendance. Direct comparable to Emerald Downs as a seasonal, single-track operation competing for wagering dollars in the western US.
- Santa Anita Park: Major Southern California thoroughbred racetrack with live racing, simulcast wagering, and on-site dining/hospitality. Operates the same core business model — pari-mutuel takeout, admissions, F&B, group events — as Emerald Downs, but with a much larger handle.
- Golden Gate Fields: Northern California thoroughbred racetrack with live racing, simulcast, and turf club hospitality. Comparable regional racetrack competing for West Coast wagering handle; recently announced operational changes make it a relevant structural peer.
- Lone Star Park: Texas-based thoroughbred racetrack in Grand Prairie offering live racing, simulcast wagering, and event hospitality. Direct peer in the regional, multi-revenue-stream (racing + F&B + events) model that defines Emerald Downs.
- Gulfstream Park: Florida-based thoroughbred racetrack with year-round racing, simulcast, and casino. Comparable to Emerald Downs in core racing + wagering + entertainment model; larger and runs a longer season.
- Saratoga Race Course: Premier US summer thoroughbred meet operated by NYRA. Direct peer in seasonal live racing with stakes-anchored programming and strong regional tourism draw, paralleling Emerald Downs' PNW position.
Regional players
- Woodbine Entertainment: Canadian operator of Woodbine Racetrack (Thoroughbred) and Mohawk Park (harness) with pari-mutuel wagering and event programming. Comparable racetrack operator model in a different geography (Ontario), and a known cross-border source of simulcast content for PNW tracks.
Others
- 1st.com (1st Bet): Online advance-deposit wagering (ADW) platform that powers Emerald Downs' online betting channel. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor; relevant as the distribution layer for Emerald Downs' digital wagering handle.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Emerald Downs social profiles
Digital presenceEmerald Downs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Emerald Downs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Emerald Downs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Emerald Downs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Emerald Downs
What does Emerald Downs do?
Emerald Downs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track and entertainment venue in Auburn, Washington that operates live racing meets, simulcast wagering on national and international races, online betting through a partner platform, on-site dining across multiple venues, group and private event hosting, and a loyalty program. The facility supplements core racing with themed entertainment events such as Corgi World Championship Races, T-Rex Races, fireworks spectacles, and cultural celebrations, and runs seasonal operations Wednesday through Sunday.
Is Emerald Downs a public or private company?
Emerald Downs is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Emerald Downs founded?
Emerald Downs was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Emerald Downs based?
Emerald Downs is headquartered in Auburn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Emerald Downs make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Live Racing and Wagering is the primary driver. The others are simulcast Wagering, food and Beverage, event Admissions, sponsorship and Advertising and parking Fees.
Who are Emerald Downs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Penn Entertainment and Churchill Downs Incorporated. Direct peers are Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Lone Star Park, Gulfstream Park and Saratoga Race Course. Woodbine Entertainment is listed as a regional player. 1st.com (1st Bet) is listed as an others.
Does Emerald Downs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Emerald Downs.
What industry is Emerald Downs in?
Emerald Downs's product category is Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEADAA, Racetrack & Race Meeting Operations, with a secondary code of MPAEADAM, Racecourse Hospitality, Sponsorship & On-Track Experiences. Its NAICS code is 711212 and its SIC code is 7948.