New upgrades may be in the offing for one of the southwest’s most popular combined racetrack and casino venues.
Those upgrades come in the wake of the announcement that the Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino has been purchased by the Reno-based Strategic Gaming Management for just over $300 million.
In a statement, J. Grant Lincoln, chief executive officer of Strategic Gaming, said the big acquisition puts his company well on its way to “our goal of being a scale operator of regional assets with rich histories, competitive moats, and very strong and loyal customer bases.”
Located at 1200 Futurity Drive in Sunland Park, the track was opened in 1959. Exactly forty years later the New Mexico State Legislature approved a bill allowing for slot machines at the property. Today, the racetrack casino also offers blackjack and roulette electronic table games.
The site spans around 157 acres and includes a one-mile racetrack and 733-seat stadium.
Soon after the acquisition announcement was made, Strategic Gaming sold the real property of Sunland Park to Gaming and Leisure Properties, a real estate investment trust with headquarters in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
Notes the El Paso Times: “Strategic is paying $117.3 million for Sunland Park’s gaming machines, trademarks, and other non-real estate assets.”
October 25, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Vintage postcard of Sunland Park race track
