BOSTON (AP) – Casino and resort developer Richard Fields has acquired the controlling share of Suffolk Downs after withdrawing his bid to buy three premier horse racing tracks in New York.

Fields finalized the deal Monday with Sterling Suffolk Racecourse LLC, the current track operator, whose principal is concession stand food magnate Joe O’Donnell.

In recent years, business has fallen off at Suffolk Downs, and employees have claimed the track must add slot machines to remain viable.

Declining revenues forced the thoroughbred track to cancel its annual feature race, the Massachusetts Handicap, the last two years.

A prepared statement announcing Monday’s sale said Fields will look “to include a full range of resort activities in the master plan, including retail, restaurants and live entertainment, family activities, and other high-end resort amenities.”

Fields’ biggest foray into casino gaming came at Hollywood, Fla., where he worked with the Seminole Indians to develop the Hard Rock Cafe casino complex where Anna Nicole Smith died in February.

Fields and a group of investors known as Excelsior Group announced on Sunday they were withdrawing a bid to buy Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course in New York. The withdrawal came just days after Fields’ investment partner, Steve Swindal, revealed he would divorce the daughter of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who also has extensive holdings in the thoroughbred horse racing industry.

Suffolk Downs spokesman Christian Teja declined to discuss financial details of the deal.

A message left for Coastal Development was not immediately returned on Monday.