Sep 25, 2018 3 min read

Like much of Washington County in the early 1960s, the Racetrack Road area was dominated by farms. There was an occasional business, but the rolling hills and valleys bisected by the roadway connecting Route 19 and relatively new Interstate 79 were largely agrarian.

That changed to a degree in June 1963, when The Meadows harness racing track opened. Legalized gambling was unique to the region and the track became a popular destination, one that sparked a smattering of development. Yet the agricultural culture reigned there for another 40 years – until about a decade ago, when, within 14 months, The Meadows added a casino and Tanger Outlets opened.

Millions of dollars went toward roadway improvements, including construction of turning lanes, and an intersection and installation of sewers and power lines. And it took $23.5 million in tax-increment financing to build Tanger. Then … it was off to the races.

A real estate boom that began in 2007 continues to this day. Racetrack Road is home to a racetrack/casino, restaurants, retail, residences and more along a 1.2-mile stretch of concrete. It is a busy area, where an average of 17,000 cars pass through daily, but one that is not overly developed and is diverse in its offerings. Dining options go from fast food to upscale; shopping from basic to chic and highly chic.

The operations there are complementary as well. You may shop at Tanger or Quail Acres or Park Place at the Meadow Lands, then have lunch or dinner at a variety of locations. And if you live at Park Place or Street at the Meadows, or other developments nearby, spending and eating are even more convenient.

Dave Biafora is thrilled to be part of the landscape. He is the principal at Metro Property Management, the Morgantown, W.Va.-based company that is developing Park Place, where more housing is being built. “Racetrack Road is nice because it’s not too congested,” he told the Observer-Reporter’s Rick Shrum for an article that appeared Sunday. “It’s been planned very well. It’s just a great place to live, work and maneuver.”

Racetrack Road is a primary economic driver in the county, several officials said. Hundreds are employed there. North and South Strabane townships, which are virtually separated by the roadway, have reaped tax benefits from the businesses operating there. Revenue from the casino goes to North Strabane, its host community, and to the county’s Local Share Account for infrastructure and development projects in various communities.

Development there also has been a boost to the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency.

A lot has happened in the vicinity of the racetrack since it opened 55 years ago, and so much of it in just the past 10 years. Racetrack Road has, indeed, boomed – while preserving what county Commissioner Larry Maggi calls “the country charm and the green spaces” of the area.

“We are keeping our country charm, which is a challenge,” he added. “That’s what makes us different.”