from: Andrew Schrödter, Ben Bradley
Posted: Oct 14, 2021 / 10:00 PM CDTUpdated: 10/14/2021 / 10:01 PM CDT
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois – For decades, Arlington International Racecourse has been the crown jewel of racing in Illinois. However, owner Churchill Downs Inc. has not requested any more racing dates and announced last month that it had reached an agreement to sell the 326 acre property to the Chicago Bears.
If approved, it will leave the Chicago area with one remaining route: Hawthorne Racecourse in Stickney. And while these and other routes face increasing competition from casinos and other forms of gambling, WGN Investigates found that big bets are being placed on the future of horse racing, even with high odds.
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“So we’re lagging, so we’re trying to catch up,” said Tony Somone, executive director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association.
For Hawthorne, that means a $ 400 million new development that will include an on-site casino upon completion.
The addition of a casino has helped Tracks survive – and even thrive – in other states.
But for years, Illinois lawmakers kept it from happening here.
According to the law passed in 2019, Hawthorne can now build a casino and sports betting on its property is already open. The plan is for the route to use cash from these amenities to offer larger wallets, which in turn will attract more breeders and bettors.
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It remains to be seen if this happens, but the owners remain hopeful.
“It’s a sign of the times,” said Jim Miller of Hawthorne. “You have to come back and level the field. And that’s exactly what we want to achieve. “
Meanwhile, Balmoral Park’s new owners have said they want to bring racing back.
The route near the southern suburb of Crete has been mostly empty since it was closed at the end of 2015. However, there are plans to bring racing back and add casino licenses.
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At the end of 2015, Marko Dobrasinovic’s family bought Balmoral.
“We want a place where people can come and flee and just have a great time,” he said.
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