ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A new audit by the Maryland Office of Legislative Audits found that the now-dissolved Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) failed to properly document a $10 million payment to the Maryland Jockey Club and issued consulting contracts worth nearly $2 million without competition or clear deliverables.
The October 2025 report said MTROA never finalized written agreements with the Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC) defining the terms of the $10 million “working capital advance” or each entity’s responsibilities for operating Pimlico Race Course and a planned training facility.
Auditors said the lack of documentation left “a gap in oversight” over the $527 million in state-approved funding for Pimlico’s redevelopment and related projects.
The review also found that MTROA awarded five consulting contracts totaling $1.9 million without seeking competition or confirming that prices were reasonable. Four of those lacked defined deliverables and deadlines, and invoices often had no detail showing what services were performed.
In its response, the Office of the Governor agreed to most of the audit’s recommendations but disputed the characterization of the $10 million as a loan, saying the 2024 law authorizing the transfer did not define it that way. The state said a new long-term operating agreement with the Maryland Jockey Club is under development and expected to be finalized by early 2026.
The audit covered MTROA’s brief existence from June 2023 until its dissolution on June 30, 2025. Its duties and remaining contracts have since been transferred to the Maryland Stadium Authority and Maryland Economic Development Corporation, which auditors say have begun reviewing invoices and strengthening procurement controls.
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