LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) announced Thursday it is applying to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC)to host a winter Thoroughbred racing meet in Louisville in 2020. This would be at the same time Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky has traditionally held its races. CDI also announced plans to build a $200 million live and historical racing facility in northern Kentucky which would host races in the future. The new facility would be called New Latonia Racing and Gaming.
The racing application requests a racing license for live horse racing in January through March and in December 2020. Churchill believes if it is awarded the race dates it will lead to larger purses and pari-mutuel handle, which would result in increased tax revenues to the Kentucky General Fund, Thoroughbred Development Fund, the Equine Industry Program, Equine Drug Research and the Higher Education Fund. If approved, Churchill wants to see the dates permanently move to the New Latonia track upon its completion.
“Churchill Downs is stepping up to protect and grow Kentucky’s Thoroughbred racing circuit,” said Kevin Flanery, President of CDRT. “Our willingness to make a sizeable investment in the neglected northern Kentucky market is our latest effort to improve Kentucky’s valuable horse racing and agriculture industries.”
JACK Enterainment, the current owners of Turfway Park, is in the process of selling Turfway and its JACK Cincinnati Casino to Hard Rock International.
Turfway submitted its annual application to the KHRC for the dates in July. JACK says Hard Rock is committed to investing $100 million into improving Turfway Park including the addition of historic racing machines, increasing purses and other racing enhancements.
Mark Dunkeson, Chief Executive Officer of JACK Entertainment said, "We are shocked and thoroughly disappointed by Churchill Downs’ recent attack on Turfway Park, which has been a significant part of the Northern Kentucky community for over 60 years. JACK Entertainment and Hard Rock International will jointly defend the long-standing race dates that have regularly been awarded to Turfway Park and contest the inappropriate actions of Churchill Downs and their attempt to disrupt the Northern Kentucky racing community. "
Dunkeson says Churchill's plan to relocate the 2020 races to Louisville is an effort to restrict competition within the Kentucky racing market and only serves the best interests of Churchill Downs and not Florence and Boone County.
CDI says Phase One of the proposed new track would bring up to $150 million economic development for northern Kentucky and is estimated to create almost 400 full and part-time positions. The project would also bring in close to 800 construction jobs. Phase One would include:
- Historical racing machine facility with 1,500 machines
- Clubhouse & food/beverage venues
- A one-mile synthetic main race track
- Inner dirt track
- Stables
CDI believes New Latonia would remain open year-round as a training facility to support Thoroughbred racing across the Commonwealth. Phase Two could include a hotel.
“Just as Derby City Gaming’s historical racing machines have supercharged purses at Churchill Downs Racetrack, we plan to do the same for northern Kentucky’s racing fans at New Latonia,” said Flanery. “Our goal is to deliver an ultra-competitive racing product with more entries and high-quality horses that appeal to bettors and horseplayers nationwide.”