Canterbury Park announced Wednesday that about 850 employees will be idled because the race track and casino have been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The track will continue with a reduced staff of key employees who will take salary reductions.

According to Randy Sampson, Canterbury's president and CEO, the track had already delayed planned improvements for 2020 and suspended its quarterly cash divident to stockholders.

"The additional actions we are implementing today are the hardest we have ever had to make given the impact on our dedicated employees for whom this situation is beyond our collective control," Sampson said in a press release.

While racing has shut down in many locations, including the postponement of the Kentucky Derby, races are still being run without a live audience at a handful of tracks around the country.

Canterbury's live racing season had been scheduled to begin in May.