Iconic Derby Lane greyhound track sold to investment group

Derby Lane Greyhound Track has been sold

The iconic Derby Lane Greyhound track in St. Petersburg has been sold. Lloyd Sowers reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The iconic Derby Lane greyhound track in St. Petersburg has been sold.

Dogs haven’t raced there since Florida voters outlawed greyhound racing several years ago, but it still hosts poker, simulcast racing and other gaming options.

What's next:

Sources tell FOX 13 News that the new ownership will continue gaming at Derby Lane for the foreseeable future.

The sale was to an investment group with ties to Tampa and Montana. The sale price was not available.

Richard Winning, the fourth-generation owner of the track, wouldn’t comment on the deal, but told FOX 13 News, "It’s been a great run."

The backstory:

Derby Lane opened in 1925 and was passed down by Winning’s great-grandfather.

The 130-acre site has frequently been mentioned as a possible location for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. The Rays explored Derby Lane as a potential site, but found it to be unworkable from an environmental perspective due to drawbacks such as its low elevation and the risk of flooding.

Speculation about future expanded use of the land includes a "live, work, play' mixed-use development, similar to Tampa’s Midtown.

Local perspective:

"It could be new apartments, new retail, while also respecting the existing gaming operation that exists on site. I think there’s a ton of potential for this site," says Anthony Close of St. Pete Rising, a dot-com news site that covers development in St. Petersburg.

At one time, Derby Lane had a full orchestra and was considered one of the most luxurious and picturesque greyhound tracks in the U.S.

Numerous movies have filmed scenes at Derby Lane, including Ocean's 11 starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

For the last several years, Amazon has used the large parking lot to stage its trucks.

Derby Lane is considered by many to have a perfect location in the metropolitan Tampa Bay Area with direct access to Tampa via the Gandy Bridge as well as its proximity to downtown St. Petersburg.

"You could call our location downtown Tampa Bay," Winning told FOX 13 News in 2021.

The Source: FOX 13's Lloyd Sowers collected the information in this story.

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