Churchill to Add Owner Suites for Derby, Oaks

Churchill Downs announced plans for a $4.2 million capital improvement project Oct. 29 designed to upgrade accommodations for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Longines Kentucky Oaks (both gr. I).

The plan, announced Breeders' Cup week, calls for 20 private open-air "Winner's Circle Suites" located between the sixteenth pole and the finish line. The winner's circle itself will be remodeled, and there will be a new "courtyard" with temporary premium seating, Churchill officials said.

The suites and related courtyad area will be constructed in sections 118, 119, and 120 on either side of the tunnel that leads to the paddock. The number of seats in those areas will drop from 3,345 to about 1,800, officials said.

Churchill in recent years has taken some heat for how Thoroughbred owners are accommodated at its major racing events. Through this year owners with horses in the Derby and Oaks were given a six-person box in section 318 of the grandstand/clubhouse with an option to purchase two more boxes; food service was located elsewhere.

Beginning next year they will get 18 complimentary tickets for the Winner's Circle Suites with an option to purchase a six-seat box in section 318 if necessary. The Winner's Circle Suites will feature undercover seating with betting machines and full-service hospitality including a premium open bar and gourmet food, officials said.

There will be access to an indoor, semi-private hospitality area and restrooms exclusive to the venue. All areas of the project will be accessible for persons with mobility disabilities.

"There are many wonderful seating options at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, but these new Winner's Circle Suites are where anyone who has ever owned or dreamed of owning a racehorse wants to be," Churchill president Kevin Flanery said. "We're thrilled to make this investment and truly thank our Derby and Oaks owners by creating an exclusive area that will provide more complimentary tickets, food and beverage, and other extraordinary amenities than ever before."

Churchill said those impacted by the redevelopment "are in the process of being contacted personally by track officials, and every effort will be made to relocate those guests to a comparable area." They will be permitted to "upgrade their seating packages with new inventory, including more availability in section 318, or premium areas that include food and beverage hospitality," officials said.

Construction will begin in December after the fall meet, and is scheduled to be completed before the 2015 spring meet begins April 25.