Canterbury plans to sell 40 acres for an amphitheater; backstretch would be reconfigured

Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., has reached an agreement to sell 40 acres of its property to a company that intends to build an amphitheater at the location, a project that would result in a reconfiguration of the track’s backside and the demolition and construction of barns.

If the project goes forward, approximately 19 barns on the Canterbury backside would be torn down and replaced with six much larger barns, according to Jeff Maday, a spokesperson for the track. The backside renovations would only go forward if the land sale and amphitheater development is approved, Maday said.

The 19,000-seat amphitheater would be located on the northeast edge of the property, off the far turn of the backstretch. The property would be sold to Swervo Development, and the plans would need to pass several environmental reviews and regulatory approvals before going forward.

Maday said that if the project is approved this year, the backside renovations would be started after the end of the racing season in early fall and completed by the resumption of live racing in the spring of 2023. Canterbury does not provide year-round training.

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Maday said that although the final plans for the backside renovations are not yet complete, “there will be fewer stalls when it’s all said and done” as a result of the construction.

Maday declined to provide the sale price for the 40-acre plot of land that is being purchased by Swervo.