Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
there's still Hawthorne race track down in Stickney.
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The moment CDI bought into Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Arlington's fate was sealed. Bulldozing what is one of the most beautiful race tracks in the US to put up a light industrial park or a housing tract is a fitting tribute to the legacy of Dick Duchossois.
Supposedly, CDI wants to keep its license and re-locate, preferably within the Chicago area, or elsewhere in Illinois, failing that.
One possibilty for a re-location could be Balmoral Park, which is up for sale. The last harness race ran in 2015, and was then transformed into an equestrian center.
The rules currently forbid racing at Balmoral until 2026, but that could possibly be altered. If the facility becomes a racino, which is probably the only way to stay in business, the proposal would have to be approved by Hawthorne/Carey Family, as Balmoral is within 35 miles of Hawthorne.
It would also require an alteration to Illinois' gaming expansion legislation, as Balmoral is in Crete Township, which is not one of the south suburban townships permitted to apply for a racino license.
CDI is in the running for the casino license in Waukegan. They might decide to build a track there, if approved. It could capture the Milwaukee market as well as Chicago. It's located outside Hawthorne's 35-mile approval zone as well.
A new harness track/racino at the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center had received approval in 2019 from the Illinois Racing Board and was just months away from breaking ground when Pritzker refused to sell the property to the racino's investment group, headed up by Richard Heidner, because of questionable business associations. No other proposals have been made for the 280 acre site, which is located in an approved township, but requires Hawthorne's consent. So, that's a third possibility.
The South Works land is still available. It would require granting a second license within Chicago city limits and to secure Hawthorne's "O.K.", but that location could draw gamers/horse players in from Indiana, where the two tracks in that state are both located just outside of Indianapolis.
Plus, Hawthorne and the Carey Family filed for a second racing license for 2021, but without requesting specific dates. The handle at Hawthorne went up fairly dramatically in 2020, and construction has started on a new casino on Hawthorne's property. As casino revenues start to roll in, they may make a play for any of the properties mentioned above. It would be sweeter still if they could take over Arlington. But there is no way CDI will allow another track operator to buy it.