Venue Information

The genesis of what was to become Prairie Meadows was a result of some hard times for Iowa’s agricultural economy in the early 1980s.

It was during this time that several local businessmen had a vision for a business concept that would help to stem the tide of bad news – a concept that would involve the creation of jobs, economic development, a boost to Iowa’s agriculture, and the growth of tourism in central Iowa.  That vision was the development of a racetrack in central Iowa.  After all, Iowans had been taking their entertainment dollars out of state for a long time to the AKSARBEN track in Omaha. Why couldn’t central Iowa provide its own track and keep those dollars working for our economy?

In July 1984, the Iowa Racing Commission issued the state’s first pari-mutuel license that would allow for the construction of a horse track.  A 243-acre site of pastureland adjacent to Adventureland Amusement Park in eastern Polk County was selected as the location for this ne ...