Two areas at Churchill Downs upgraded, ready for guests at 2026 Kentucky Derby
Guests at this year’s Kentucky Derby can relish in renovations to two of Churchill Downs’ more exclusive areas.
Updates at the Louisville racetrack, of The Mansion and the Finish Line Suites, are complete ahead of Derby 2026. The finalization of those renovations makes way for the start of construction on seating upgrades at the first turn.
On an April 23 earnings call, Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said the company was ready for guests to experience its remodeled, “most exclusive hospitality areas.”
When delays were announced on construction around the track in 2025 in response to tariffs, Churchill Downs said it would continue to renovate the venue through projects with smaller price tags geared toward deep-pocketed fans.
Those included renovations at the existing Finish Line Suites and The Mansion, projects that have a total cost of between $25 million and $30 million.
The Finish Line Suite renovation updates 15 suites and an area behind them to increase capacity to 1,050 guests who the racetrack hope will experience “a larger, fully integrated hospitality experience with more vibrancy, better guest flow and superior amenities.”
The Mansion is on the sixth-floor of Millionaires Row overlooking the finish line and a large portion of Churchill Downs. Renovations include updated finishes and making other enhancements.
Following this year’s running of the Kentucky Derby, construction will “accelerate” on the track’s Victory Run project, Carstanjen said Wednesday.
A new structure part of Churchill Downs’ projects
At the first turn and just past the finish, the project is a new four-story structure that will replace approximately 6,400 existing seats with premium seating for 7,800 guests.
The structure will also include private suites, indoor and outdoor dining and covered box seats with views of the finish line. The project is expected to cost between $280 million and $300 million and will be competed by Derby 2028.
“These projects are designed to deliver strong long term returns while offering exceptional guest experience,” Carstanjen said.
Parts of the project resemble a proposed renovation of the Skye Terrace, which would have similarly replaced the existing structure, but with a five-story one, swapping 11,500 uncovered box seats for 13,300 premium ones.
How tariffs have affected the project
Initial plans for that $465 million overhaul were announced in February 2025 as part of a $1 billion, multi-year project to update seating.
Just two months later and a week before last year’s Derby, Churchill Downs delayed the Skye Terrace upgrade due to tariffs.
The track also paused its infield project last year. It had planned to create permanent seating in the infield and add structures for general admissions ticket holders.
On the earnings call Thursday, Carstanjen said 2025 was a rough year for the track both in sales and in capital improvements in part due to tariffs, but this year’s geopolitical factors have not been at play in moving forward with racing or investing in the venue.
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