Miami-Dade horse track breaks ground on casino

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) -- Miami-Dade County horse racing fans will soon be able to expand their gambling beyond betting on horses.

Churchill Downs Inc. and Calder Race Course broke ground Wednesday on a 104,000-square-foot slots and gaming facility. It will be the county's first casino other than cruise ships.

Churchill Downs says the casino will open early next year before the Super Bowl, which is in Miami. It will have 1,225 slot machines, three restaurants and valet parking.

County voters approved slot machines at Miami-Dade horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons last year. Slot machines are already available at tracks and Seminole Indian casinos in neighboring Broward County.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)