The former Brockton Fairgrounds is set to undergo a major transformation. 

The Brockton City Council approved redevelopment plans for the 65-acre site at its Feb. 24 meeting, which will bring a massive mixed-use development to the property.

City councilors approved a zoning ordinance to establish the Fairgrounds Overlay District, facilitating mixed-use development on the former fairgrounds property. 

Boston-based real estate developer Copper Mill Development plans to turn the 600 Belmont St. site into 1,705 new housing units, along with 600 square feet of commercial space, light industrial buildings and a three-acre park. 

The project will be developed in multiple phases. A 400-unit complex is expected to be the first project, with the review process slated to start later this year. 

“I am thankful to the City Council for their efforts and support of the overlay district at the Fairgrounds property,” Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan told Boston Agent. “The proposed future development will greatly benefit our city and our community. It will provide exceptional housing opportunities and green space areas for our residents and future residents.”

Former fairgrounds property owner George Carney, whose family owned the property since 1957, sought to build a casino on the property back in 2015. City residents approved the measure in a referendum vote in May of that year, but the Massachusetts Gaming Commission denied the license. In 2016 Carney looked to bring horse racing back to the fairgrounds track.

In 2019, the state’s gaming commission denied the casino application a second time when it was up for reconsideration.

The Brockton Fair, which for decades drew visitors from across New England, closed permanently in 2022.