Hastings Racecourse halts thoroughbred racing
Hastings Racecourse and Casino has ended live thoroughbred horse racing effective immediately, closing a chapter that began in 1889. The decision comes after the B.C. government told the industry it would stop sharing slot machine revenue that has subsidized racing for decades.
Great Canadian Entertainment, which operates the East Vancouver venue on leased city land at the Pacific National Exhibition grounds, says the track will not run another season. Casino operations and simulcast betting at the site will continue as usual.
Government cuts slot machine support
In late November, Solicitor General Nina Krieger sent a letter to horse racing representatives confirming the province will end net slot machine revenue for the industry. The review behind that decision found that horse racing would require significant new public spending to remain sustainable, even with existing subsidies.
Those slot funds came from casinos attached to racetracks, including Hastings in Vancouver and Elements Casino in Surrey, which previously hosted harness racing at Fraser Downs before that track closed earlier this year. Industry groups estimate the change will leave horse racing in B.C. with an annual shortfall of several million dollars starting in 2026.
‘Strictly a business decision,’ says operator
Wayne Odegard, regional vice-president at Great Canadian Entertainment, called the move to end racing “an extremely difficult decision.” He said the company ultimately could not justify another season because the business no longer made economic sense without government revenue sharing.
Odegard says the company will focus on supporting staff and racing participants through the transition, including owners, trainers and others who now need to explore options for thoroughbred racing elsewhere in the province or beyond. There are currently no horses stabled at Hastings because the race season runs from April to October.
Horsemen’s group blasts abrupt funding change
The Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of B.C. says the province’s decision, delivered with only a few months’ notice, has “destabilized” a 133‑year-old industry. The group argues that pulling the slot-revenue structure placed workers, breeders, trainers and agricultural suppliers in an “impossible position” with little time to adapt.
Racing advocates warn that families who breed, train and care for horses could see their businesses collapse or relocate to other provinces and U.S. states. With Hastings racing shut down and harness racing at Surrey’s Fraser Downs already closed, B.C. no longer has a major live horse racing venue.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation steps in on casino side
While racing ends, the casino side of Hastings is entering a new chapter. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation has signed a definitive agreement to buy the casino business and related real estate interests from Great Canadian Entertainment. The land itself remains owned by the City of Vancouver, which leases the site to the operator.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation leaders have framed the deal as a step toward greater economic self-determination in their traditional territory. Great Canadian says it will work with the Nation and the city to ensure a smooth transition once all regulatory and municipal approvals are in place.
Talk turns to a future soccer stadium
The end of racing has rekindled speculation about new uses for the Hastings site, including a soccer-specific stadium. The Vancouver Whitecaps are in lease talks with BC Place’s owner, BC Pavco, and their current lease expires this year.
With the Whitecaps up for sale and Major League Soccer signalling concern about the team’s long-term stadium deal, some observers see Hastings as a potential location if governments back a new facility. For now, however, no formal stadium plan has been announced, and the only certainty is that live horse racing at Hastings has reached the finish line after more than a century.
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