Bidder: Churchill Downs Is ‘Protecting Rivers Casino,’ Not Illinois Horse Racing

A group that placed a$ 120 million pay to purchase the trail from Churchill Downs was led by Roy Arnold, the former president of Arlington International Racecourse and CEO of Endeavor Properties.

Arnold informed the Chicago Tribune that his group was among the three finalists for the track. However, he has not received any communication from Churchill Downs in over a month.

Arnold believes that Churchill Downs is obstructing someone from either continuing horse racing or introducing casino gambling at Arlington Park, which is what his team does.

He declared:

“My only conclusion is that they are motivated by a wish to limit competition. The objective is to protect Rivers Casino.”

Churchill Downs owns a significant stake in Rivers Casino, located in Des Plaines.

Churchill Downs is suspected by many to want to inhibit competition by preventing horse racing and casino gambling in Arlington Heights, which is nearby the most popular casino in Illinois, Rivers.

The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (ITHA) recently asked Kwame Raoul, the Illinois Attorney General, to look into potential antitrust law violations by Churchill Downs. Should horse racing cease at Arlington Park, only two racetracks will be left in Illinois.

Churchill Downs declared in a speech:

“Numerous eligible offers have exhibited a significant desire to purchase the house, and our team is still navigating the sales process. We’ve established confidentiality agreements with every bidder to uphold the integrity of the procedure, and we plan to adhere to the conditions of these agreements. Consequently, we will not comment on any conversations or conjectures by others. When the time is right, CDI may inform customers about the progress of the sale.”

This all implies that the Chicago Bears are a formidable contender for the championship.

Bears are one of the suitors for Arlington Park.

Earlier this year, the Bears put forward a proposal for Arlington Park. Although the terms are unknown, there is speculation that they may emerge as the selected choice.

To begin with, the Bears wouldn’t permit a horse race or casino gaming on their premises. Although the team could potentially establish a retail sportsbook, this idea pales in comparison to a comprehensive racino.

Moreover, there is some smoking observed in the vicinity of Churchill Downs, River, and Bears.

Recently, the Bears named BetRivers, the sportsbook operator of Rivers Casino, as their official sports betting partner, parting ways with PointsBet. Additionally, Rivers Casino serves as the official casino of the Bears.

Mike Ditka also serves as the brand ambassador for BetRivers. Given his other business connections and the fact that the Bears appear to match what Churchill Downs is (or isn’t) seeking, everything seems to fall into place.

The decision of Churchill Downs should be known to us in the upcoming weeks.

last days of Arlington’s horse race

Purebred horse racing has been held at Arlington Park since 1927. The garden likely hosted the final horse races on September 25.

There are still six racing dates remaining on the Arlington schedule. These will occur on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of this week and the previous week. The races begin at 2:25 p.m. CST and conclude at 6:30 p.m.

Without Arlington, the only remaining horse racing tracks in the Land of Lincoln would be Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney and FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing in Collinsville. Collinsville is situated in southwestern Illinois, whereas Stickney is just outside of Chicago.

On September 25, Illinois horse racing enthusiasts are set to have a difficult time. Moreover, in the event that Churchill Downs selects the Bears, sports fans in the Chicagoland area will experience a blend of joy and sorrow.