The Palm Beach Kennel Club has received unanimous approval from county commissioners for a $20 million relocation project, marking a new chapter for the historic facility that first opened in 1932.

The new 65,000-square-foot facility will be built at Congress Ave. and Cherry Rd., featuring:

• A poker room and off-track betting (OTB) facility
• The relocated Paddock Restaurant
• A 5,200-square-foot kennel
• A four-story parking garage with 900 spaces

The project enables PBKC to sell 42 acres of its property for a luxury high-rise development, which plans to include 2,000 residencies and mixed-use space. The location's proximity to Palm Beach International Airport, which served nearly eight million passengers last year, makes it particularly valuable.

The Rooney family, who also owns the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, has operated the facility since 1972. Despite Florida's 2018 ban on greyhound racing, the cardroom remains profitable, generating $16.3 million in revenue during fiscal year 2024 - ranking among Florida's top three cardrooms.

The facility maintains a partnership with the Seminole Tribe's Hard Rock Bet for sports betting promotion, though as a cardroom, it can only offer non-house-banked poker games, not slot machines. The new facility is expected to open by 2027 and will operate 24 hours daily.

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