The Canterbury Park Card Club, the first legal one of its kind in the state, is scheduled to open on April 19 at the Shakopee, Minnesota, racetrack and will be open 24 hours a day.

The south end of the Canterbury grandstand has undergone a roughly $2-million renovation to accommodate the card club, which will include 38 tables and a horse racing simulcast area. The round-the-clock operation will allow the simulcasting of racing from around the world, including Australia.

Revenue from the Canterbury card clubs will be pumped into the purses. Approximately $1- to $1.5-million is expected to be generated for purses during the first year of operation.

The addition of the card club will also open up early-bird wagering at Canterbury, starting at 8:00 a.m. on April 20.

Canterbury's sixth live racing season is slated to begin on May 20 and will run through Labor Day.