If you've been itching to gamble, the good news is that Lone Star Park is back in action after an $11 million renovation. The upgrade comes just in time, as April 11 marks the opening weekend of spring and summer races.
The two big changes to the park this season are a complete restoration of the main track and a facelift for the Silks Dining Terraces clubhouse.
The track features a new mixture designed for more cushion and consistency, which required racetrack staff to remove all the existing cushion material to inspect the limestone base and blend a new layer with the previous cushion material. The park also installed new track lighting and improved the backside stables.
The Silks Dining Terraces on the fourth floor of the grandstand has been overhauled to reflect a cleaner, more modern look. The main 1,200-person seating area has more than 300 new TVs and new chairs, as well as a new paint job. The menu has also gotten a modern-day facelift and now includes more vegetables and grilled entrées, and there are now double the selections on the salad bar.
As for the festivities this weekend, gates open early April 11, at 4:30 pm, with opening ceremonies beginning around 5:45 pm and the first race at 6:35 pm. On Friday, the first race begins at 6:35 pm again. Following the race, the Randy Rogers Band performs.
Gates open at 11:30 am Saturday, with the first race starting at 1:35 pm. Special events include a $50,000 JEH Stallion Station Stakes and a concert by Gary Allan after the races.
No concert on Sunday, but gate opening and race start times are the same as Saturday. There is, however, a jazz brunch in the terraces from noon to 3 pm, plus pony rides, petting zoo and bounce houses. Those will not be in the terraces, but in the Family Fun Park. A pony ride through the terraces would be awesome, though.
Races begin April 11 at 6:35 pm with opening ceremonies beginning before at 5:45.
