For nearly half a century, the unmistakable curved facade on Long Wharf Drive has been a familiar landmark on the New Haven shoreline. Sports Haven, the first off-track betting theatre in the world - and still one of the most unique - has stood through changing times, transforming skylines and evolving habits. Now, as Winners prepares to vacate the historic site, staff and regulars are reflecting on what this building has meant to generations of racing fans in Connecticut.
Sports Haven began its life in 1979 under the name Teletrack, a pioneering concept in an era long before live streaming and mobile betting. One of its most striking innovations was the use of movie-sized projection screens to display races from around the country. At opening, there was only one such screen, but by the mid-1990s the venue featured four enormous projector walls, creating a viewing experience unlike anything else in New England at the time.
© Norman McGrath, courtesy of Newman Architects
Guests dressed up. Servers memorised regulars’ orders. Tickets were punched, clutched and celebrated. On Triple Crown days, the atmosphere was electric. It was a place where cheers rose like waves, rolling from one section to another as horses thundered toward the line hundreds of miles away.
“It was a cathedral to a very particular kind of excitement,” said one long-serving employee, who has worked in the building for more than 30 years. “The energy was unbelievable. You didn’t just watch a race here. You lived it.”
The venue was also known for some memorable quirks. Those who visited in the 1980s still talk about the shark tank—a real aquarium filled with live sharks, remembered now as one of the most unusual features ever seen in an American racing venue. For many, it symbolised the bold, experimental spirit that defined Teletrack’s early years.
The memories inside these walls run deep. Retired workers still tell stories about legendary races called out over the loudspeakers. Staff can recall regular patrons who claimed the same seat for decades, arriving with handwritten notes and hopeful smiles. Friends visited together, month after month, sharing the kind of small rituals that become part of people’s lives.
© Norman McGrath, courtesy of Newman Architects
“You can’t measure how important this place has been to so many,” reflected a front-of-house colleague. “The glamour may have faded, but the staff and customers had a love for the building. It was ours.”
But even the most beloved institutions must eventually navigate the realities of change. The world has moved on: fans now follow results on smartphones, place bets online, and enjoy racing with convenience and comfort that could only be imagined in 1979. And so, with respect for the past and optimism for the future, Winners is preparing to transition to a modern venue designed for today’s racing entertainment experience.
“Sports Haven is part of the identity of New Haven and of our own history as a business,” said Scott Symonds, Senior Manager Operations at Winners.. “We’re sad to be saying goodbye, because generations of Connecticut racing fans have made memories here. But the world has moved on, and our new venue will be better suited to modern betting, with improved technology, comfort, food and beverage options, and an environment built for the future of racing entertainment.”
© Newman Architects
The decision brings a sense of nostalgia, but also confidence. The new, more compact Winners venue at 37 Frontage Rd, East Haven, will offer a more welcoming layout, improved accessibility, and a simplified hospitality experience — without losing what matters most: the shared excitement of every race.
As for the building on Long Wharf, its future is still to be written. The 9.65-acre site was sold to Queens-based Criterion Group in 2021 and their plans have yet to be revealed. Local residents and former guests hope that whatever comes next will respect its unique place in the story of New Haven. Some imagine a community space, others a redevelopment project, but all agree that the memories should not fade.
In its final weeks, visitors have been stopping by to take photos in the parking lot, place one last bet, or quietly sit in the same seat they once shared with friends and family. It feels less like a closure than the end of an era. Winners has also worked with Travis Carbonella - a freelance videographer based out of New Haven - and The New Haven Independent, to create a short documentary on the final days of the iconic building and what it means to the local community.
Sports Haven was built for a different time — and that time mattered. It brought people together. It gave them something to cheer for. And for all who stepped inside its doors, it will never be just another building on the shoreline.
There will be a new venue, a new era, and new memories. But there will only ever be one Sports Haven. From everyone at Winners: Thanks for the memories.