Illinois Racing Board member calls for Arlington to be saved

A member of the Illinois Racing Board took the opportunity to blast Churchill Downs Inc. over its decision to sell and effectively force the closure of Arlington Park during the board’s Tuesday meeting.

“That is a really bad look when the foundation of your brand is horse racing,” board member Alan Henry said. “First, Hollywood Park was bulldozed. Then racing at Calder was leased out. Now Arlington Park has been deemed disposable.”

CDI announced in February that it will put the track up for sale and expects to reach a deal with developers who will use the prime real estate in Arlington Heights, Ill., for non-racing purposes.
Related: Horsemen: Arlington Park closure would be 'a step too far'

During the board meeting, Henry argued that closing Arlington would hurt CDI in the long term and lead to a disgruntled core consumer base for the company.

"What I'm hearing from very irate horseplayers is talk of dumping their state-licensed TwinSpires advance-deposit wagering accounts,” Henry said. “They're equally incensed when they read that CDI brashly talks about relocating Arlington's racing license to another undetermined venue as if it's their license to relocate, which it is not.”

In a statement released shortly after the sale announcement, CDI claimed it holds great respect for the history of Arlington Park, but the financial position of the track would make racing untenable in the future. The company said it would look to move Arlington’s racing license elsewhere, although licenses are not movable in Illinois, and the company would need to apply for a new license at a different venue.

“We expect to see robust interest in the site and look forward to working with potential buyers in collaboration with the Village of Arlington Heights to transition this storied location to its next phase,” CDI CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement on Feb. 23.

Trainer Larry Rivelli told HRN last month that he wants to organize a group of horsemen to buy and save Arlington, which some, including Henry, believe is being abandoned by CDI to avoid having a gambling venue built there to compete with its Rivers Casino in nearby Des Plaines.

Henry called on CDI to sell to a buyer who would continue operating the racetrack.

“Recalibrate and facilitate a seamless, graceful transition of racetrack ownership,” Henry said. “By doing so you'll be sending a message loud and clear to the racing industry statewide and to the racing community nationwide that you are actually committed to the sport and firmly bound to your company's roots.”

What is expected to be the final meet at Arlington Park is scheduled to begin April 30 and run through Sept. 25.