The Downs Racetrack and Casino

I love the feel of Vegas or Atlantic City right here in the middle of Albuquerque. Besides the gaming opportunity there is also a great and inexpensive café I like meeting new year with my friends sometimes just to hang out

The casino itself is nice and fancier than I was expecting.
Aside from that…
Crackhead central. Everyone looked strung out or like they were searching for their next client.
Never seen anything like it

Small casino. Typical machines. Lots of people coming off central. Free coffee, soda And water. They have nice and convenient bathrooms. Staff and security are visible and offers the casino a safe visit. Fast free valet. Three stars because it’s very small and smoky.

Review and pictures meant for:
Century Downs, Racetrack & Casino,
Calgary, AB, Canada

Mom wanted to hit some slots for a few so we stopped in here and found the place to be very thick with the cigarette smoke (so much so, I had to toss that pair of contact lenses later) and quite crowded and close-​in. The bets on the slots machines were hard to determine at an easy glance, so we spent much time wandering from machine to machine to figure out what was what. And as soon as we got settled, another smoker would perch at the machine next to it.
As well, it would be nice if the parking lot was better lit.
Not a pleasant experience at all.

I like here, but I like table play more, here all is machines, so I have to give them two stars, but if you want to play with machines here is a good place

This place is gorgeous!
The Casino is loaded with new games, complete with an electronic pit area, the food court has numerous dining options, including pizza, burritos, wraps, ice cream and Caribou Coffee.
The First Turn Lounge has an enormous patio overlooking the race track and a great Happy Hour.
They have serve their own craft beer– Post Time Ale.
The Crown Room is an upscale elegant fine-​dining restaurant, with an incredible selection of Scotch’s and bourbons.
Friendly staff and ample parking…

This is definitely the place you want to take your significant other for a special occasion. Forget Olive Garden or Red Lobster, if you really want to tell someone you love them unconditionally this is the place to do it. This gem of a restaurant is tucked inside of a Casino but don’t let that turn you off. As soon as you walk through those fancy doors you are transported into a scene you might only see in the movies. I liked to pretend as if I was an important movie start as I was waited on hand and foot by the lovely staff. Their amazing menu and great ambiance was only the beginning. As they brought out our first course, a platter full of little bite sized appetizers that included sweet pickles (taste just like pumpkin pie to me) oIives, peppers, jicama, and deviled eggs. I had to stop myself from eating more because I wanted to make sure I would have enough room for the rest of the meal. I opted for the cold appetizer which was a crab cocktail and really enjoyed it. The salad that came after was one of the best salads I’ve had in a long time it was a spinach and smoked bacon salad with a sweet dressing. For my main course I chose the filet mignon well done, I wish I would have asked for it medium well but oh well it was still good with the sauce they put on of it and the sides made it that much better. Buttered asparagus, and truffle mashed potatoes, yummy. For dessert I really couldn’t make up my mind but I knew my husband was going to get the carrot cake (his favorite) so I went for the black forest chocolate cake and i’m sure glad I did. By that point I had already expanded my belt by about two holes but it was well worth it and I was able to take the rest home. The drinks through out the night were really good too and they just kept them coming. I really hope my better half reads my review and takes a hint since our anniverssary is coming up :)

Okay, I’m not a very big gambler. I’ve played various games a bit in my time and had a good time, but that’s about it. This is a nice, new place. Lots of slot machines and other electronic games of «chance». The layout is good and it was not overly crowded.
Let’s not mince words, this is not the best (nor the worst) area of town. However, there was lots of security around and I felt completely safe. No issues there. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the free valet parking that could not have been easier or nicer.
Why not 5 stars? Well, the biggest one for me is the smoking. Yes, they allow smoking inside the casino. Yuck! I didn’t explore the whole place, but it also is quite heavy on electronic games and less other stuff. Also not my cup of tea. But the renovation was very nice and it appears to be a nice place overall.

I went to this casino for the first time today. As a city resident, a short city bus ride took me within about a block’s walk to the front door. I found the staff and security very friendly and helpful (as well as other players with whom I spoke) and the atmosphere very inviting. I’m a nonsmoker, having quit 20 years ago. If people were smoking, I didn’t smell any odor. There’s about 700 slot machines in this 65,000 foot venue.
There are gaming tables, which I didn’t check out as I’m a slot player. However a man told me he’d won $ 200 playing roulette a few days ago. I’m an elderly man on Social Security so I just came for a little entertainment. I played the penny slots and walked away with $ 16 more than I came in with… plus a t-​shirt I got free for joining the ‘rewards club’.
There is no gift shop for souvenirs as you’d find in many casinos. No buffet food; but there’s a food court and a fancy dining restaurant. There is some outdoor seating near the food court and I suspect you could smuggle in a Big Mac and not get hassled eating it out there.
I give it 5 stars because I had fun; the people were very nice; and I won a few bucks. I intend to return each month for a few bucks worth of fun. A place like this is a big plus for Albuquerque’s reputation.

I’m going to try and be nice. This place is a step up from what it was before. The old venue can still be seen not far away. A kind of eyesore of the fairgrounds. Steeped in racing history and tradition, but not much to look at. The new venue is a step in the right direction. Newly completed, the building sits facing Central with APD and private security dotting the new parking lot and entrances. Access is easier now, thanks to two entrances off Central and another off Louisiana. Free valet at the front. Friendly greeters and then players club off to the left as you enter. To the right is the food area with plenty of seating and a modest offering of food, beer and desserts. We tried a scone and it was good. The biscotti looked inviting and Blue Bell ice cream is always a nice touch. The beer selection wasn’t great, but at least they have taps. The casino is pretty small, but the games are mostly the newest one’s out. (At least they are as I write this) People were smoking here and there but it wasn’t smokey. Many of the games were not yet working but I’m thinking that will change in time. There are no table games but they do have digital versions. The gaming area is separated by dark wood with an open feel.
I could easily point out what’s missing and what’s wrong with this ‘casino’ but I did say I wanted to be nice. Everyone was friendly and helpful. I’m not thrilled about the idea of a casino in this neighborhood and if you look around at some of the people around you, I think you’ll understand what I mean. Still, it’s there and maybe keeping it small is the way to go. It could be easily be a 2 star rating, but I did say I was being nice!