Derby Lane

About Derby Lane

Derby Lane is a Florida-licensed pari-mutuel gaming facility at 10490 Gandy Boulevard North in St. Petersburg, Florida, owned by the Weaver family — one of the oldest family-owned pari-mutuel operations in the United States. The facility opened in 1925 as a greyhound racing track and operated live greyhound racing for nearly a century, earning recognition as the world’s longest continuously operating greyhound facility. Following the passage of Florida Amendment 13 in 2018 — which banned live greyhound racing statewide, effective January 1, 2021 — Derby Lane continues to operate as a 50-table poker room and simulcasting facility under its existing pari-mutuel license. Restaurant, self-parking, and valet are on site. The minimum gambling age is 21, and gaming is regulated by the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Phone: (727) 812-3339; website: derbylane.com.

St. Petersburg is in Pinellas County on Florida’s Tampa Bay peninsula, approximately 20 miles southwest of Tampa and 30 miles northwest of Sarasota via I-275 and I-75. The Gandy Boulevard address is in northern St. Petersburg near the Gandy Bridge that crosses Tampa Bay, accessible from I-275 and US-19.

The Weaver family’s ownership of Derby Lane across multiple generations reflects the property’s status as a Florida cultural institution. The 1925 founding date places Derby Lane in the formative era of American greyhound racing, when the sport was expanding from its origins in Kansas and Oklahoma into Florida’s mild winter climate as a destination attraction for northern visitors. At its peak, Derby Lane was one of the busiest greyhound facilities in the country.

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Derby Lane

St. Petersburg, Florida

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Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, Florida

Poker Room

Derby Lane’s 50-table poker room spreads Mixed Games, Omaha 8 or Better, and Texas Hold’em cash games. Mixed Games at Derby Lane rotate through multiple poker formats — H.O.R.S.E. (Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, Eight-or-Better) and other combinations — attracting players with multi-game proficiency who cannot find these formats at standard Hold’em-only Florida card rooms. Omaha 8 or Better (Omaha Hi-Lo) is the split-pot variant in which both the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand (eight or lower) share the pot.

At 50 tables, Derby Lane’s poker room is one of the larger poker operations in the Tampa Bay area and among the larger rooms in the Florida pari-mutuel card room market. The tier-based structure detected in our data suggests a loyalty component for regular poker players. Current stakes, running games, and any tournament schedules are at derbylane.com or (727) 812-3339.

Greyhound Racing History and Amendment 13

Derby Lane opened in 1925 as one of the earliest greyhound tracks in Florida and operated live greyhound racing for 95 years. At various points it held the record as the world’s longest continuously operating greyhound racing facility. Greyhound racing in the United States is a form of pari-mutuel wagering developed in the early 20th century using mechanical lure systems; Florida became one of the largest greyhound racing markets in the country, with over 17 tracks at the industry’s peak.

Florida Amendment 13 — “Prohibits Wagering on Greyhound or Other Dog Races” — passed with 69% voter approval in November 2018 and took effect January 1, 2021, ending live greyhound racing statewide. Derby Lane’s greyhound pari-mutuel license survives the amendment and continues to authorize the card room poker operation and simulcasting under Florida law, which permits existing licensees to maintain their authorizations after the live racing ban. Simulcasting of races from other tracks — thoroughbred, harness, and greyhound tracks in other states and internationally — continues at Derby Lane on an ongoing basis.

Dining and Amenities

A restaurant, self-parking, and valet are on site at Derby Lane. Dining information is confirmed in our directory data; current restaurant hours and menu should be verified at derbylane.com or (727) 812-3339. No hotel is associated with Derby Lane.

Location

Derby Lane is at 10490 Gandy Boulevard North in St. Petersburg, Florida. I-275 north to the Gandy Boulevard exit, then east, is the standard approach. Tampa is approximately 20 miles northeast via the Gandy Bridge. Sarasota is approximately 60 miles south via I-275 and I-75. Valet and self-parking are on site.

★ Editor note

World's longest-running greyhound facility since 1925 — now a 50-table poker room with Mixed Games on Gandy Blvd

Derby Lane is a Florida institution: 95 years of live greyhound racing from 1925 to 2021 under the Weaver family's ownership, followed by post-Amendment 13 conversion to a 50-table poker room. The Mixed Games and Omaha 8 or Better spread gives it format depth unusual in the Tampa Bay card room market. Simulcasting of thoroughbred, harness, and greyhound races from other tracks continues. The Gandy Blvd location is accessible from both St. Petersburg and Tampa via the Gandy Bridge. Confirm current hours and poker stakes at derbylane.com or (727) 812-3339.

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Priya Sharma

Responsible Gaming Editor