CDI on Track with New Entertainment Venue at Owensboro

In September last year, the leading racing, online betting and gaming entertainment company, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), confirmed it finalized the acquisition of Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in a deal with a price tag of $79 million.

The venue, located in Henderson, Kentucky granted the company a unique opportunity for further growth and expansion. There are currently some 300 historical racing machines (HRMs) at Ellis Park. But the takeover enabled CDI to expand further this infrastructure with an opportunity for a second location, offering HRMs.

Now, Churchill Downs unveiled additional details regarding the planned expansion in Kentucky. In a statement released on Monday, the company confirmed it has secured land located in eastern Daviess County which is outside of the city limits of Owensboro. That land, CDI said, would be used for the development of a new HRMs entertainment venue, complementing Ellis Park.

The recent statement released by CDI confirms that the new entertainment venue will help support Ellis Park. With additional details still outstanding, the company vowed to disclose further information regarding the investment and development plan for the new property. CDI did not confirm a specific date when the information can be expected but rather said that it will arrive “in the coming months.”

“Churchill Downs Incorporated announced that the Company has secured a site in eastern Daviess County, outside of the Owensboro city limits, to build its previously announced historical racing machine entertainment venue as an annex of Ellis Park Racing & Gaming. This new facility will support purse funding for Ellis Park race meets,“

reads a statement released by Churchill Downs Incorporated

Amid Hose Fatalities, the Company Temporarily Stopped Racing Action

Details regarding the land in eastern Daviess County which will be used for a new entertainment venue come after only recently, CDI temporarily halted its racing operations. The decision to temporarily stop the operations came after a series of horse fatalities.

Despite probes by experts, no potential cause for the fatalities was found. What’s more, experts were not able to identify a specific pattern, which resulted in the company’s decision to suspend temporarily its Spring Meet. While examining safety measures, CDI said that the suspension for its live racing operations is effective from June 7, 2023, through July 3, 2023.

“What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable. We need to take more time to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the details and circumstances so that we can further strengthen our surface, safety, and integrity protocols.“

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI

At the time of the announcement, Bill Carstanjen, CDI’s CEO, said that the recent fatalities were deeply concerning and unacceptable. He explained that the company will conduct a complete review of its operations and at the same time strengthen its policies and protocols.