Suffolk Downs sale could trigger massive development at largely dormant racetrack

The 161-acre Suffolk Downs racetrack in the East Boston-Revere borderlands could become the site of one of the largest developments in the region’s recent history.

Recall that the site had been a leading contender to host the casino-resort that eventually wound up in Everett. Since that 2014 loss, Suffolk Downs has been barely operational, hosting a handful of events in 2015 and 2016.

Now comes word via the Globe that development firm HYM Investment Group has gone to contract on the racetrack.

Given Boston-based HYM’s involvement in such larger-scale projects as Cambridge’s NorthPoint and Brighton’s Boston Landing (never mind the six-building Bulfinch Crossing in downtown Boston), it’s likely the group would go long at Suffolk Downs.

There’s not only the site’s sheer size—that 161 acres—but its location, too, amid two Blue Line stops and relatively close to both Logan Airport and downtown Boston.

The deal for the racetrack could still fall through. Stay tuned.

• Deal to buy Suffolk Downs could spur development there [Globe]
• Bulfinch Crossing construction officially starts [Curbed Boston]
• The 5 Cambridge Developments Everyone Should Be Watching [Curbed Boston]
• Boston’s Residences at Boston Landing lands development partner [Curbed Boston]