Arlington Park | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Future Of Arlington Park Can Be Very Bright’: Former Track President Heading Investment Group Hoping To Keep Racing Alive

Roy Arnold, who served as president and CEO of Arlington Park from 2006-10, announced his intention on behalf of a group of investors to purchase the Arlington Heights, Ill., racetrack in a letter to the village's board of trustees prior to their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday night at which Arlington's future was on the agenda.

Arnold, who currently heads the Endeavor Hotel Group, is aligned with Mike Campbell, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association in an effort to continue live racing at the suburban Chicago racetrack after owner Churchill Downs Inc. said in 2019 it would not seek a casino license and now has the property listed for sale.

Arlington Park opened for live racing on April 30 and is scheduled to run through Sept. 25 in what many assume will be its final meeting.

During their Monday meeting, the Arlington Heights board of trustees voted unanimously in support of two resolutions: one that would restrict the types of businesses permitted if the racetrack property is developed and the other preventing Churchill Downs Inc. from putting restrictive covenants on a sale agreement (i.e., restricting a buyer from continuing to operate Arlington Park as a racetrack or to add casino gambling).

Following is the text of the letter from Roy Arnold, president and CEO, Endeavor Hotel Group:

Good evening, Mayor Hayes and members of the Arlington Heights Board of Trustees. Thank you for the opportunity to address you concerning the future of Arlington Park, a gem among racetracks in North America and a community asset with tremendous untapped potential.

A decade ago, I had the privilege to serve as Arlington Park's president and chief executive officer. I witnessed the venue's attraction to local families and friends as scores of fans from Arlington Heights, Chicago and surrounding communities – and, in fact, from across the Midwest – traveled to Arlington Park to enjoy leisurely and lively recreation at a beautiful track. I also experienced and came to fully appreciate the challenge of effectively managing a large and complex gaming operation.

Today I speak to you on behalf of investors planning to soon purchase that property, continue its tradition of thoroughbred horse racing, expand its gaming opportunities, and develop portions of the site to better support and serve the needs of the local economy. Simply put, we seek to maximize the potential of Arlington Park's full 326 acres.

We embark on this pursuit with the knowledge that it will be up to Illinois lawmakers to decide whether to revisit the state's gaming law to extend the window for Arlington Park's future owner to apply for a license to add and operate a casino. As we all know, that license was explicitly authorized by the state's 2019 gaming expansion legislation. But Churchill Downs, which had spent two decades lobbying state government for that license, opted, to everyone's disbelief, not to apply for the license and the application window expired.

We are accounting for the possibility of operating Arlington Park without the addition of a casino, but we nonetheless want to ensure there is no artificial restraint on owners, the village or the state in such time that common sense prevails and the legislature acts to allow us to implement the intent of the 2019 gaming law. We respectfully encourage you, as the elected representatives of the Village of Arlington Heights, to retain unfettered control as a home rule community and not permit Churchill Downs to encumber the property in any way. We urge you to adopt the proposed ordinance to prohibit restrictive covenants concerning gaming uses at Arlington Park.

Churchill abandoned its commitment to Arlington Park and the community of Arlington Heights. It should not be allowed to limit in any way the future activities or economic opportunity at that site. Indeed, as was clearly expressed by the terms of the 2019 gaming expansion law, Illinois lawmakers intended for the owner of Arlington Park to expand gaming opportunities at the track; stimulate gaming competition in Illinois; improve the quality of purses that form the wages for thoroughbred trainers, jockeys, blacksmiths, veterinarians and numerous backstretch workers; boost tourism; and grow and diversify the tax revenue base for the local and state governments.

Our team is prepared to do just that. In our judgment, there is no higher or better use of Arlington Park than as a thoroughbred racetrack. Arlington Park is an internationally acclaimed icon of thoroughbred racing; its value to the people of Illinois and, most especially to the people of Chicagoland, can't be overstated. Arlington Park cannot be replaced. The site's potential has long been recognized by the racing industry, by Churchill Downs and by the political leadership of Illinois. And there is no secret as to how to tap that potential: to prosper, Arlington Park must become a diversified entertainment destination.

New ownership can bring new vision and the accountability that the Village of Arlington Heights and the State of Illinois deserve. Our team believes that the owners of a gaming facility such as Arlington Park should be held accountable for their commitments. Horse racing and other forms of gaming are regulated forms of entertainment; a license to operate racing or casino gaming is a privilege, not an entitlement. Such a license is granted by the state and that grant entails respect for the goals established by the legislature. The owner and operator of a treasure such as Arlington Park must act to serve not only investors but also the taxpayers of Illinois.

We believe Arlington Park has the potential to lead the North American thoroughbred horse racing industry with a modernized facility. Should we have the chance to own and operate that magnificent property, we will:

Keep the core of Arlington Park the same. We would preserve a world class sporting venue on approximately 126 acres including stables, fan parking, the grandstand, and, of course, the track itself. This would include what is recognized as one of the world's best turf courses.

Relocate the stable area in order to open space for a compatible industrial and mixed-use development. This is consistent with the wishes of the community and would broaden the local tax base. The industrial park of roughly 100 acres would be framed by adjacent industrial properties and the Metra line to the north.

Develop a year-round entertainment district of about 40 acres that would supplement the summer racing choices for visitors. Select portions of this section would include hotel, retail and condo options.

Urge the General Assembly to allow Arlington Park to add casino gaming, realize the venue's full potential, fulfill the intent of the 2019 gaming expansion law, bolster tax revenue and economic opportunity for Arlington Heights, and help generate revenue (as intended by the 2019 gaming expansion law) to support the state's Rebuild Illinois capital construction program.

We have no doubt that Arlington Park, as a track and gaming entertainment destination, can be profitably operated. A smaller footprint for the track would reduce operating costs. Diversifying the entertainment district means more fans and, importantly, new fans. Embracing technology and an affiliated sports wagering platform would bring new revenue to support the track from wider access to the Arlington Park product.

We recognize that comments from Churchill Downs executives and recent media reports suggest that demolition of Arlington Park is inevitable – that we have just now begun the last season of racing at the track. But we firmly reject such fatalism; we know that with the support and partnership of the Village of Arlington Heights, the State of Illinois and the thoroughbred racing community, the future of Arlington Park can be very bright indeed.

Arlington Park can again be a top tier racetrack attracting the world's greatest racing talent and creating new lifetime memories for millions of fans. We come before you with a clear vision for obtaining that objective – and for delivering the benefits of success to the Village of Arlington Heights, surrounding communities, and the State of Illinois. – Roy Arnold

The post ‘Future Of Arlington Park Can Be Very Bright’: Former Track President Heading Investment Group Hoping To Keep Racing Alive appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Arlington Heights Trustees Take Steps That Could Impact Sale of Track

The Arlington Heights Board of Trustees has passed an ordinance that would prevent Churchill Downs from placing any restrictions on what a buyer of Arlington Park can and cannot do with the 326-acre property.

It is feared that Churchill will not sell the track to any individual or group that expresses an interest in opening a casino or even to anyone committed to maintaining racing at the historic Illinois track. Churchill may want to limit competition for the nearby Rivers casino that it co-owns in the town of Des Plaines.

There have been groups aligned with the horsemen that have come forward and said they were prepared to buy Arlington in order to keep it as a racetrack and were set to outbid all others for the property. Those same groups have expressed concerns that Churchill would not be willing to sell to anyone who intended to keep the track operating. The ordinance, which was passed unanimously at Monday night's meeting of the village's Board of Trustees, would prevent Churchill from attaching any conditions to the sale which would rule out a continuation of horse racing.

Throughout the meeting, trustees and other officials with the town made it clear that they would like to see racing at Arlington Park preserved.

“The track is so important to our village for many different reasons, including our identity, that I don't want to see the track go away,” said Trustee John Scaletta. “But it's not up to me. It's up to whoever purchases the property. But I think it's important to keep the door open so that it could possibly remain a track because there are so many people that want to see racing continue, not only in the state of Illinois but across the country. Hopefully, somebody will come to Arlington Heights with a desire to continue horse racing.”

Said Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes: “Everything remains on the table. We are taking these actions this evening to ensure that the possibility of horse racing remains on the table. Nothing is excluded, other than certain uses that we don't want to see.”

In a related development, the board took steps to redefine zoning restrictions for the property that would allow it to keep out certain businesses. The example of Amazon building a distribution center on the site was given as a development the town would block.

The Arlington site is also said to be on the radar of the Chicago Bears, which have been contemplating moving to a new stadium.

Churchill Downs is soliciting bids for the property through the commercial real estate firm CBRE Group, Inc. Bids are due by June 15.

According to Arlington Heights Village Manager Randall Recklaus, the nearby towns of Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg and Chicago have used similar procedures that have kept property owners from placing restrictive covenants limiting future uses for the land.

The problems for Arlington began when Churchill failed to apply for a casino license for the racetrack and then announced that racing would not continue after the end of the 2021 meet. Should Arlington, considered one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world, close, the Chicago area would be left with just one track, Hawthorne. Because Hawthorne is also required to run a harness racing meet, the amount of Thoroughbred racing that can be offered there is limited.

The Arlington meet is scheduled to conclude Sept. 25.

The post Arlington Heights Trustees Take Steps That Could Impact Sale of Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Arlington Heights Trustees May Place Restrictions On Arlington Park Land Use

Trustees of the village of Arlington Heights, Ill., will address the future of Arlington Park racetrack and consider placing restrictions on the property's use during a regularly scheduled virtual meeting at 7:30 p.m. CT Monday night. (To participate/view the meeting, click here for instructions.)

Churchill Downs Inc., the publicly held company that owns the track, announced in February that the 326 acres on which the racetrack sits will be offered for sale but that the company may pursue using the racing license elsewhere in the state. CDI officials stunned the racing community in 2019 when they announced, following passage of legislation that would permit casinos at racetracks, that Arlington would not seek a casino license – something they had lobbied for alongside horsemen for decades. While officials cited dissatisfaction with the law's tax structure, it is widely believed that CDI did not want an Arlington casino to compete with the nearby Rivers Casino, of which the company is majority owner.

Item XIII on the meeting's agenda has two items listed under “legal”: a resolution regarding zoning regulations for the racetrack property, and an ordinance amending “negative use restrictions” that would seek to prohibit CDI from selling the property with usage restrictions (i.e., no horse racing or gambling) that run contrary to the village's public policy. The ordinance is designed to “preserve all options for the property whether it includes complete redevelopment through a long-term master plan or continued use as a horse racing facility with additional redevelopment,” according to a report from the village's planning and legal staff.

“We are planning to take some proactive steps to ensure that any future plans discussed for Arlington Racetrack meet the desired land uses the village would like to see on this significant parcel, and that the door to continued horse racing at the track remains open,” Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said in a statement reported in the Arlington Daily Herald.

The Daily Herald reports that Mike Campbell – president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association – and perennial leading trainer Larry Rivelli are working separately with potential investors to buy the property and continue racing.

Hayes told the Daily Herald that continuation of live racing and a new stadium for the NFL's Chicago Bears are two possibilities for the site.

The village's planning and legal staff recommends passage of a resolution regarding zoning regulations that would put “prospective purchasers and the public on notice that the village intends to make changes to the zoning, subdivision code or other regulations. The resolution states the fact that the village is considering making changes to the zoning ordinance to restrict certain uses and establish other development standards that would be applicable to Arlington International property.”

The post Arlington Heights Trustees May Place Restrictions On Arlington Park Land Use appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Beginning of the End? Arlington Kicks Off 2021 Meet Friday

In years past, opening day at Arlington Park has been an event. It comes at a time when winter is giving way to spring in the Chicago area and takes place at what may be the most beautiful racetrack in the U.S. But Friday's opening day at a track that first ran in 1927 will occur under a pall. To some, it will seem more like the opening to a funeral than the opening to a race meet.

“Under that thinly disguised veil of happiness for this opening day will be the understanding that a great, historic and iconic landmark is about to be removed from the face of the earth,” said trainer Mike Campbell, who is the president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

In February, Arlington's owner, Churchill Downs Inc., announced that the 326-acre property was being put up for sale. The news had been expected ever since August 2019 when Churchill Downs passed on an opportunity to build a casino at Arlington and announced that it was committing to racing only through the 2021 meet. Unless there is an 11th-hour reprieve, Arlington will race for the last time on Sept. 25.

Churchill has announced that bids on the track must be received by June 15, at which point the track's future will become more clear. Churchill has hired the commercial real estate firm CBRE Group (CBRE) to conduct the sale.

Campbell and other horsemen have been working behind the scenes to come up with a group positioned to buy the track and keep it open for racing beyond this year. The problem, Campbell says, is that there are no assurances Churchill will sell the track to the highest bidder if that bidder intends to keep racing at Arlington.

“We will be part of the bidding process, without a doubt, and we will make a meaningful bid,” Campbell said. “But the question remains, will Churchill allow for there to be live racing beyond this year? I'm not confident at all. I think with the highest bid we still lose.”

It's obvious that Churchill wouldn't sell to anyone looking to build a casino on the property, but it's unclear whether or not they would accept a bid from someone want to keep racing alive at Arlington. Churchill Downs Inc. has had little to say about Arlington's future, other than the track is for sale. On a recent quarterly earnings call with investors, Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen would not predict what was to become of the property.

“I think the ultimate conclusion of that process is something I can't responsibly predict for you because we'll have to see the nature of the bids, and if the property gets bidded, split up between multiple bidders, or if it's a single bidder, et cetera,” Carstanjen said.

Campbell said he has a group that will bid on the track, with a plan to develop part of the property while saving enough land to continue to with racing.

“I am working with a development group that has a very high profile,” he said. “They want to use the land at Arlington, half for industrial and residential use. That would be about 120 acres. And the rest of it, over 170 acres, would be maintained for live racing use.”

Larry Rivelli, the perennial leading trainer at Arlington, is among those trying to find an owner who will keep it as a racetrack. He pegged the odds that the track will make it beyond this year at 50-50.

“They are calling it a last hurrah, but people really don't know what's going on so far as selling the place and whether or not it can be preserved as a racetrack,” Rivelli said. “We've been trying to get groups together. There are just a lot of moving parts. It's not whether someone can afford it. There are people who can. It's just a matter of who they want to sell it to.”

The city of Arlington Heights is also involved in the process. In a story that appeared in the Daily Herald, Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said there are many possibilities, including a sale to a group looking to build a new stadium for the Chicago Bears.

“From what I'm hearing, there is a great deal of interest in this property from a lot of different individuals and groups being put together for some very exciting possibilities,” Hayes told the publication. “I do expect information will come out sometime — perhaps this summer–about some possibilities that are at least conceptual plans that CBRE, Churchill and the village might be very interested in.”

One thing is certain. Anyone who wants to see live racing this year at Arlington or to attend the final day of racing will have to dig deep into their pockets. There will be no general admission sales for this year's meet, with only reserved seats being put up for sale. They cost anywhere from $15 to $40.

“To charge that much money for people to come to the racetrack is unrealistic,” said veteran trainer Anthony Granitz. “You're going to ask someone to pay $40 to come see a horse race when the casinos let them in for free. They're not doing the fans any favors.”

As a sign of the times, there will be only eight races on the card. The opener is a $4,000 claimer with a purse of just $10,000 and the total purse distribution for the day is just $133,500. The signature race of the meet, the Arlington Million has seen its purse cut from $1 million to $600,000 and the race has been renamed the GI Mister D. S.

“It's one of the most beautiful tracks in the world, so it's really sad that it has come to this,” said trainer Michael Ann Ewing. “It's a sad comment on racing today. It really is constricting. It's really disappointing. What are the horsemen in Illinois going to do?”

Granitz made his first ever start at Arlington in 1985 and said he got his first job in racing working on the Arlington backstretch at age 13. He's better positioned to handle the closure than most because he has a string at Indiana Downs, but Arlington will always be a special place to him.

“We need a miracle,” he said. “I'm not hopeful.”

The post The Beginning of the End? Arlington Kicks Off 2021 Meet Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post