The Track on 2 holds a 4.6 rating, the highest of any casino in Alberta. It is also one of the smallest, with fewer than 200 reviews against the thousands the Calgary and Edmonton rooms carry, so treat the number as a strong signal rather than a settled verdict.
What it tells you is real enough. This is a locally owned operation on the QEII Highway just outside Lacombe, run by Kurt and Kyla Belich with business partner Ross Morrison, and people who go tend to like it a great deal more than they like the chains.
The racing surface is the unusual part
A one-mile dirt oval, plus the only 7/8-mile turf track in Western Canada. For a facility this size that is a genuinely rare bit of infrastructure, and it is the reason the track punches above its weight in Alberta's racing calendar.
There is a large grandstand, a riding arena, and stables on site. Attendance and parking are free and all ages are welcome, so race days work as a family outing rather than a gambling trip.
The gaming floor is a VLT lounge, not a casino
Be clear on this before you drive out: there are no live table games. The gaming offer is a VLT lounge plus a simulcast room for streamed races from other tracks.
If you want blackjack with a dealer, this is not the venue and you want Cowboys or Elbow River in Calgary. If you came for the horses and want machines between races, it does the job without pretending to be more.
The simulcast room is the quiet highlight. Central Alberta does not have many places to sit and bet a card from elsewhere in comfort.
Eating and events
Funky Monkey Kitchen + Bar handles food, and it is better than a small-track kitchen has any obligation to be.
The event centre is the other half of the business, and it is busier than the racing calendar alone would support. Comedians, touring musicians and, unexpectedly, world-renowned psychics all play the room. Checking the events listing before a visit is worth the minute.
Hours, which are shorter than the city rooms
The Track keeps modest hours and they vary by day:
- Monday to Thursday: 11:00am to 11:00pm
- Friday and Saturday: 9:30am to 1:00am
- Sunday: 9:30am to 11:00pm
No 3:00am or 5:00am close here. Plan around it, because a late drive out from Red Deer can easily arrive to a closing floor.
Getting there
40309 Range Road 272, Lacombe County, directly off Highway 2 between Red Deer and Lacombe. That is the single biggest practical advantage this venue has: it is a straightforward highway stop roughly halfway between Calgary and Edmonton, and parking is free and easy.
How Alberta casinos work
Alberta is the only province in Canada where licensed charities conduct the casino events themselves. Non-profit groups staff events at private facilities under the model the province adopted in 2003 and take a share of the proceeds. At a venue this size that community link is more visible than it is in the city rooms.
Worth the stop?
As a racing venue and a highway break, yes, and the 4.6 reflects genuine goodwill rather than marketing. As a casino in the full sense, no, because a VLT lounge is not a casino floor and the operators do not claim otherwise.
Go on a race day. Going on a quiet Tuesday for the machines misses the entire point of the place.
FAQ
Does The Track on 2 have table games?
No. Gaming is a VLT lounge plus a simulcast room. There are no live dealers.
Is there a charge to attend the races?
No. Attendance and parking are free and all ages are welcome.
Where is The Track on 2?
40309 Range Road 272 in Lacombe County, just off the QEII Highway between Red Deer and Lacombe.
What are the hours?
11:00am to 11:00pm Monday through Thursday, 9:30am to 1:00am Friday and Saturday, and 9:30am to 11:00pm Sunday.
What makes the racetrack unusual?
A one-mile dirt track plus the only 7/8-mile turf track in Western Canada.
Is there food on site?
Yes, Funky Monkey Kitchen + Bar.
Planning a wider trip? See all 30 Alberta land casinos and our Red Deer area guide.
Updated September 2026 · Details verified against the operator's site and AGLC published information. Hours, race calendars and event listings change. Confirm before you go.
