The closing of Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque was described repeatedly as "the end of an era," due in part to the racetrack having operated for nearly 30 years. But the space will escape demolition and is instead being re-purposed as a 12,000-seat seat concert venue.The Galveston Daily News reported over the weekendthat developers Jerome and Leslie Karam have bought the space and plan to transform the space from a bettors' haven into one for live music fans, particularly those situated between Galveston and Houston.

The Gulf Greyhound Park shut down in the summer of 2020. The pandemic certainly didn't help, though general manager Sally Briggs said attributed the closure at the time to a "decline in parimutuel live racing and simulcast wagering over the past few years."

Though best known for racing, the space in recent years expanded the sort of events that would take place there, suggesting the transformation to come, including various festivals (food truck festival, seafood festivals) and a holiday lights event.

The pre-existing seating at the park offers an interesting player for large-scale shows in the region. The Gulf Greyhound Park's 12,000 seats should draw some acts who would typically be routed through the downtown Toyota Center (about 18,000 capacity), the Cynthia Woods Mitchell in The Woodlands (16,500) and the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land (6,400).