Churchill Downs Bid for New Track in Northern Kentucky

Home » Churchill Downs Bid for New Track in Northern Kentucky

On Thursday, Churchill Downs Inc. announced their intentions to apply with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to build a new race track facility in Northern Kentucky. The organization also used the platform to file a request to host a winter horse racing event in 2020. They would take place at the Churchill Downs Racetrack and away from Turfway Park. The new track is estimated to cost $200 million and will be christened as the New Latonia Racing & Gaming centre.

The Historic Horse Racing Parlor in Northern Kentucky

For a period spanning 60 years, Turfway Park has been the home of horse racing events in Northern Kentucky. There are discussions underway with a proposed sale of Turfway Park to be sold.  Hard Rock International is the suitor of the property while JACK Entertainment are the owners. As part of the agreement reached between the two parties in April, Turfway and Cincinnati casino will cost $780 million. The deal is yet to get the green light from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC). The approval should be swift, seeing as there has been a growing frustration from the KHRC officials regarding the facilities there.

Churchill Downs Bid for New Track in Northern Kentucky

Churchill Downs Racing Dates Proposal

Turfway Park racing resumes on the 3rd of December. Originally, the event takes place during Dec, then from January right through to March. Churchill Downs is seeking the 2020 dates in a bid to “protect and grow Kentucky’s Thoroughbred racing circuit”. Presently, the rights were to host the races are held by Turfway. If the KHRC give the green light, the horse race dates held at Churchill Downs would be moved. The proposed New Latonia facility would be the permanent venue once the construction has been completed. The Churchill Downs track president, Kevin Flanery spoke in glowing terms of what the deal would mean to horse racing in Kentucky.

“Our willingness to make a sizable investment in the neglected Northern Kentucky market is our latest effort to improve Kentucky’s valuable horse racing and agriculture industries,” said Flanery. The sale will make New Latonia the second acquisition, following the hugely successful Derby City Gaming in Louisville. While we wait for the decision to be made, be sure to check out some of the top casino sites in the USA that you can visit online here.

Index