Churcill Downs doesn't apply for gaming at Arlington

[Striker]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

They have no choice, the hawthorne casino will do quite well imo

The point being that sharing casino revenue for purses was not a deal breaker for Hawthorne and Fairmount, like it was for CDI. I have my doubts about people flocking to a casino in Stickney when they could hit one up in Chicago, or go to one of the other suburbs, or even still go across the border to the Hammond/Gary ones.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by Striker

The point being that sharing casino revenue for purses was not a deal breaker for Hawthorne and Fairmount, like it was for CDI. I have my doubts about people flocking to a casino in Stickney when they could hit one up in Chicago, or go to one of the other suburbs, or even still go across the border to the Hammond/Gary ones.

Hawthorne will be able to offer table games, unlike any of the bars and taverns around it can. That imo will be enough to attract slot revenue as a byproduct. Whenever it can take sports wagers will be good for it too although I hear that it's going to be in bars too

[Tom]

Long in informative interview on ATR first hour today.

CD is a cancer to horse racing.
CD is the evil party here. Corporate greed.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by BarchCapper

“Louisville has only one track and we do just fine. Why would any metropolitan area need more than one?”

Simple answer - year round racing.
CD neglects to mention TP and Elp on Ky to keep racing going year round.

They focus on the one city BS argument because they are lying bastards and have no support for racing other at CD. This has nothing at all to do with any metropolitan area - it is statewide.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Tom

Simple answer - year round racing.
CD neglects to mention TP and Elp on Ky to keep racing going year round.

They focus on the one city BS argument because they are lying bastards and have no support for racing other at CD. This has nothing at all to do with any metropolitan area - it is statewide.

Not to mention Keeneland which is little more than an hour away.

[BarchCapper]

There are a few CDI and CDI subsidiary people in racing that I like very much.

After this latest decision, my mind keeps picturing them as Stormtroopers on the Death Star.

So sad.

[BarchCapper]

Originally Posted by Tom

Simple answer - year round racing.
CD neglects to mention TP and Elp on Ky to keep racing going year round.

They focus on the one city BS argument because they are lying bastards and have no support for racing other at CD. This has nothing at all to do with any metropolitan area - it is statewide.

This was not an actual quote from anyone at CDI. I made it up based on what’s gone on. I see that it resonates frighteningly well.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by cj

Not to mention Keeneland which is little more than an hour away.

Oh yeah, that place too!

[The_Turf_Monster]

Local news is reporting that Saturday may be it for AP. Apparently the Illinois Racing Board wasn't to pleased with CDI this week and is giving CDI another week to reconsider before any dates are granted for next year. The governor didn't sound too pleased either

[tophatmert]

Churchill wants out of most of the racing business , so you punish them by telling them they can't race. Illinois better have a way of taking the casino license from Rivers casino which CD owns.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by tophatmert

Churchill wants out of most of the racing business , so you punish them by telling them they can't race. Illinois better have a way of taking the casino license from Rivers casino which CD owns.

I'm sure Springfield has a way to get back at CDI if it wants to. I have a feeling CDI comes back to the next Illinois Racing Board meeting with a plan to put gaming in at AP that will serve the horsemen

[tophatmert]

Go after that Rivers license, don't allow them some bs compromise that really doesn't help the racing product.

[classhandicapper]

I've never been to Arlington.

Is it a track worth saving other than due to romantic visions of what racing once was and we wish it could still be?

Everyone already knows I think consolidation of tracks is inevitable and even a desired outcome if we want full fields, huge handle per track, huge purses, and all the advantages that come with more free cash flow per track (like possibly even lowering the take).

We probably only need a dozen or two tracks nationally. A few dedicated to the highest quality racing and the rest located in places that make excellent vacation destinations also.

I used to consider Arlington a marginal candidate on some hypothetical list of survivors that would include BEL, SAR, CD, KEE, SA, DMR, GP, OP, MTH, and a few others I'm not familiar enough with.

[cj]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I've never been to Arlington.

Is it a track worth saving other than due to romantic visions of what racing once was and we wish it could still be?

Everyone already knows I think consolidation of tracks is inevitable and even a desired outcome if we want full fields, huge handle per track, huge purses, and all the advantages that come with more free cash flow per track (like possibly even lowering the take).

We probably only need a dozen or two tracks nationally. A few dedicated to the highest quality racing and the rest located in places that make excellent vacation destinations also.

I used to consider Arlington a marginal candidate on some hypothetical list of survivors that would include BEL, SAR, CD, KEE, SA, DMR, GP, OP, MTH, and a few others I'm not familiar enough with.

By all reports, the facility itself is as nice a place for horse racing as we have in this country.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by cj

By all reports, the facility itself is as nice a place for horse racing as we have in this country.

It is, and it has the country's best turf course imo