Manitoba Thoroughbred racetrack Assiniboia Downs has been given the green light to begin hosting pari-mutuel racing on May 25 without fans in attendance.
Multiple reports indicate that, in roughly two weeks' time, the Winnipeg track will begin hosting cards of live racing three nights per week.
The Province of Manitoba gave its approval for the races on Wednesday, May 6, according to Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn.
"We're aware of the protocols [elsewhere] and we were prepared to mirror those," Dunn was quoted as saying. He went on to state, "We were going to be able to do just that and the government obviously agrees."
The track won't be open to the public, but wagering on the product will be taking place remotely.
“Without fans present, people are going to be able to watch and wager on their mobile device, their tablets, their home computer,” Dunn was quoted as saying. “We’re going to broadcast this signal all over the world.”
(With files from the CBC and CTV News)