Prairie Meadows Racetrack
Prairie Meadows is a Polk County-owned racetrack casino in Altoona, Iowa, combining live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing with casino gaming, entertainment, dining, and community funding.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Prairie Meadows is a racino and entertainment complex in Altoona, Iowa, in the Des Moines metropolitan area. Its principal activities combine pari-mutuel horse racing, casino gaming, restaurants, live entertainment, and related hospitality services. The facility conducts Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing during its seasonal meet, generally running from spring into the fall, and operates a one-mile dirt track with a chute designed to accommodate Quarter Horse races. The venue originated after Iowa legalized pari-mutuel wagering in the early 1980s. Prairie Meadows received a racing-facility license from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission in 1984, and construction ceremonies were held in 1987. Its first racing program took place on March 1, 1989. The initial years were financially difficult: the track lost money, entered bankruptcy proceedings in November 1991, and suspended live racing during the 1992 season. Off-track betting revenue helped support a return to live racing in 1993. A major transformation followed a 1994 Polk County referendum authorizing slot machines. The casino opened on April 1, 1995, changing Prairie Meadows from a conventional racetrack into a racino. Casino income helped the organization repay bonds issued by the Polk County Board of Supervisors by the end of 1996. State approval for table games came in December 2004. Strong demand led to regulatory approval for a major expansion, with construction beginning in September 2005. The project added casino space, two restaurants, and a 1,200-seat concert venue known as The Meadows; the casino addition opened in August 2006 and the restaurants and concert hall followed in February 2007. Prairie Meadows is owned by Polk County and operated by a local nonprofit board of 13 directors. This ownership structure distinguishes it from privately held commercial casino chains. Revenues support community projects in the Des Moines area and elsewhere in Polk County, including contributions connected with the Iowa Events Center complex. The property therefore positions itself not only as a gaming and racing destination but also as a public-benefit institution whose commercial operations fund local development and charitable activity. The casino has included slot machines and table games such as poker, roulette, and blackjack. Prairie Meadows has also hosted free concerts and other entertainment programming, extending the brand beyond racing and gaming. Its racing calendar includes stakes and handicaps, with notable events such as the Iowa Oaks, Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, Iowa Derby, Iowa Sprint Stakes, Iowa Distaff, and Iowa Breeders' Derby. The facility has occasionally hosted novelty events, including races involving ostriches. In January 2019, Prairie Meadows announced a partnership with William Hill as Iowa considered legalizing sports wagering. The arrangement reflected the property's continuing effort to broaden its regulated gaming offer beyond slot machines, table games, and horse-race betting. Prairie Meadows remains an active regional racetrack casino serving Iowa residents and visitors, with its brand built around the combination of racing heritage, casino entertainment, concerts, dining, and community reinvestment.
History
Prairie Meadows developed in response to Iowa's legalization of pari-mutuel horse-race wagering. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission granted the project a license in 1984, and groundbreaking took place in 1987. The facility held its first racing day on March 1, 1989, offering live horse racing in the Altoona area. The racetrack struggled during its early operating period. It lost money and filed for bankruptcy in November 1991. Live racing did not take place during the 1992 season, but off-track betting revenue helped make a return possible in 1993. This period established the financial and operational challenge of running a seasonal racetrack without the additional casino revenue that later became central to the business. On May 17, 1994, Polk County voters approved a referendum permitting slot machines at Prairie Meadows. The casino opened on April 1, 1995, transforming the property into a racino. The new gaming business materially strengthened the facility's finances, and Prairie Meadows was able to retire bonds issued by the Polk County Board of Supervisors by the end of 1996. The property expanded its gaming offer again after Iowa approved casino table games for Prairie Meadows in December 2004. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved an expansion plan on January 25, 2005. Construction began in September of that year on a project reported at $60 million. An expanded casino area opened in August 2006. Two restaurants and a 1,200-seat concert venue called The Meadows opened in February 2007, adding dining and national entertainment to the racing-and-gaming operation. Prairie Meadows is owned by Polk County and managed by a nonprofit, 13-member local board rather than by a publicly traded casino corporation. Its revenues have supported community projects in the Des Moines region, including development associated with the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. This structure gives the facility a public-benefit role alongside its commercial functions. The racing operation continues to feature both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses on a one-mile dirt track with a Quarter Horse chute. Its seasonal program includes stakes and handicaps and has featured the Iowa Oaks, Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, Iowa Derby, Iowa Sprint Stakes, Iowa Distaff, and Iowa Breeders' Derby. The site has also been used for concerts and occasional novelty races. In 2019, Prairie Meadows announced a partnership with William Hill in anticipation of Iowa sports-betting legislation. The announcement represented another stage in the property's evolution from a standalone horse-racing facility into a diversified regional gaming and entertainment complex.
- 2019
William Hill partnership announced
[1]Prairie Meadows announced a partnership with William Hill while Iowa considered legalizing sports betting.
- 2007
Restaurants and concert venue open
[1]Two new restaurants and the 1,200-seat Meadows concert hall opened in February.
- 2006
Expanded casino opens
[1]An addition to the casino opened in August as part of the broader redevelopment program.
- 2005
Expansion authorized and construction begins
[1]The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved a major expansion in January, and construction began in September.
- 2004
Table games approved
[1]State approval allowed Prairie Meadows to add casino table games, including poker, roulette, and blackjack.
- 1996
County-backed bonds repaid
[1]Prairie Meadows had repaid the bonds issued by the Polk County Board of Supervisors by the end of the year.
- 1995
Casino opens
[1]The slot-machine casino opened on April 1, establishing Prairie Meadows as a racino.
- 1994
Slot-machine referendum approved
[1]Polk County voters approved a referendum permitting slot machines at the facility.
- 1993
Racing resumes
[1]Off-track betting revenue helped Prairie Meadows resume live racing.
- 1992
Live racing suspended
[1]Live racing was suspended for the season during the property's financial restructuring period.
Products and positioning
A publicly owned, nonprofit racetrack casino that combines horse racing, regulated gaming, entertainment, and dining while directing operating revenues toward community projects in the Des Moines area.
Racing · 1989
Live horse racing
Prairie Meadows stages seasonal live racing for Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse competitors. The one-mile dirt track includes a chute for Quarter Horse races, and the meet includes stakes and handicap events such as the Iowa Oaks, Iowa Derby, Iowa Sprint Stakes, Iowa Distaff, Iowa Breeders' Derby, and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap.
Gaming · 1995
Casino gaming
The casino is the property's principal year-round complement to seasonal racing. Its offering includes slot machines and table games such as poker, roulette, and blackjack. Casino gaming was introduced through the 1995 slot-machine opening and expanded with table games after state approval in 2004.
Live entertainment · 2007
The Meadows
The Meadows is a 1,200-seat concert venue opened as part of Prairie Meadows' mid-2000s expansion. The venue supports the property's positioning as a broader entertainment destination, with concerts and other live programming complementing horse racing, casino gaming, and dining.
Food and beverage · 2007
Dining and hospitality
Prairie Meadows operates dining facilities as part of its integrated racetrack and casino complex. Two additional restaurants opened in 2007 during the major expansion, giving visitors food and beverage options alongside gaming, racing, and entertainment.
Brand decisions
2019
Sports-betting partnership with William HillStrategyBackground
Prairie Meadows acted while Iowa considered legalizing sports betting, seeking a partner for a potential new regulated gaming product.
Action taken
The property announced a partnership with bookmaker William Hill in January 2019.
Aftermath
The partnership positioned Prairie Meadows to participate in Iowa's emerging sports-wagering market, although the cited reference does not provide further operational or financial results.
Sources2 sources
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